JSW Group - Electrical Safety Guidelines

JSW Group - Electrical Safety

• This standard provides requirements and guidance for safely interacting with electrical equipment and systems during all types of work.
• The primary goal is to prevent injuries, operational disruptions, and damage to critical equipment.
• It applies to personnel involved in constructing, testing, operating, maintaining, and dismantling electrical equipment and systems within facilities.
• The requirements extend to lower-risk groups across all work locations, including individuals using portable electrical-powered tools, appliances, and equipment.
• It applies to all JSW Companies and subsidiaries, managed sites, corporate offices, research and development facilities, new projects, merged and acquired entities.
• The requirement applies to all JSW company employees, contractors and remains applicable for the entire life cycle of establishments, offices, manufacturing sites and project sites.
• This standard should be reviewed at least every 5 years, or when a serious incident or high-potential near miss is recorded.
• Reviews shall be consistent with local regulations and requirements and include evaluation of new machinery, LOTO implementation, training records, work permits, and changing industry standards.
• Inspection records for electrical equipment must be retained for its life or three years, whichever is longer.
• Maintain training records, lists of authorized/qualified personnel, equipment-specific isolation procedures, and closed PTW records as per retention requirements.

Electrical Safety Management Program

• The electrical safety management program includes electrical safety procedures, hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control, electrical safety practices, people and facilities, emergency planning and response, and a management system using the RACI matrix and assurance.

Hazard Identification

• Business units must have accessible and current electrical safety procedures developed using a risk assessment process.
• Procedures should detail protocols for routine and emergency operations related to electrical supply and internal management.
• Hazard identification involves classifying and addressing hazards to ensure workplace safety by analyzing activities, facility conditions, and potential incident scenarios.
• Examples include electric shock, electric arc, electrical fires, electrical explosions, and electrostatic ignition.
• The electrical hazard identification should consider dangers related to electricity distribution, overhead operations, excavation work, portable electrical tools, installation/connection of equipment, and existing installations.

Risk Assessment

• The person receiving a permit is responsible for ensuring a competent person performs a risk assessment to identify hazards, risks, and control measures.
• Risk assessments should follow the JSW Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Standard (JSW-GHS/GS-17).
• Risk assessment should consider the nature and timing of work, environmental conditions, soil characteristics, presence of lines, system activity, personnel training, methods, hazards/risks, and isolation.
• Installations, systems, and parts must be installed and maintained by qualified personnel regularly qualified for execution.
• The installation of electric systems and the preventive selection of components should prevent risks of direct or indirect contact, fire, and/or explosion.

Minimization of Exposure to Electrical Hazards

• Optimal Equipment Design: Design for safety by incorporating high-resistance grounding, ground fault protection, arc-proof equipment, current-limiting devices, and smart motor control.
• Safe Maintenance Practices: Enclose equipment with parts over 50V to prevent contact, utilize shrouded terminals, and incorporate finger-safe features to prevent accidental contact.

Specific Risk Assessment

• The risk assessment process should cover concepts, methodologies, and criteria for planning and executing operations with energized tools, intrinsic risks, procedural risks, and risks with tools impacting multiple workers.

Shock Hazard Risk Analysis

• Mitigation involves system voltage analysis, identifying protection boundary requirements per NFPA 70E Table 130.4 (D) (a) & (b), and specifying PPE to minimize shock hazards.
• Shock protection boundaries, including a limited and restricted approach, apply where personnel approach energized conductors or circuit parts, related to direct contact, and do not consider arc flash exposure.
• The limited approach boundary is the closest distance for unqualified personnel, requiring supervision and precautions beyond it.
• The restricted approach boundary is the closest for qualified personnel only with insulation or guarding.

Arc Flash Risk Assessment

• A business unit is required to perform an arc flash risk assessment to determine if there is an arc flash hazard.
• The safety-related practices and the arc flash boundary must be assessed.

Risk Control

• The hierarchy of risk control measures guide on implementing technologies to eliminate and reduce exposure to electrical hazards; examples include insulation, grounding, and RCDs.

Technologies to Eliminate and Reduce Exposure to Electrical Hazards

• Technologies include insulation, guarding, and earthing.
• Technologies to reduce frequency and severity are insulation improvements, guarding, and RCDs.

Difference Between MCB, ELCB, RCCB, and RCBO

• MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)
  • Protects against overcurrent and short-circuits
  • Trips when current exceeds its rated capacity
  • Utilizes thermal and magnetic sensing
  • Has a typical sensitivity from 6A to 125A
  • Commonly used in electrical distribution boards for branch circuit operation
• ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker)
  • Detects leakage currents to earth (ground faults)
  • Trips when leakage current exceeds a set threshold
  • Uses a current differential transformer for sensing
  • Commonly used for protection in specific circuits or equipment
• RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker)
  • Detects residual current imbalances, including leakage to earth
  • Trips when residual current imbalance exceeds a set threshold
  • Uses a differential transformer for sensing
  • Commonly used for circuits where human safety is critical
• RCBO (Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent Protection)
  • Combines residual current detection with overcurrent protection
  • Trips on both residual current imbalance and overcurrent conditions
  • Uses a differential transformer and thermal/magnetic techniques for sensing
  • Commonly used in sensitive circuits requiring both residual current and overcurrent protection

Electrical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• PPE is the last line of defense and involves facility design, hazard assessments, worker training, and protocols for PPE selection and maintenance.

Access Control and Competency for Electrical Work

• All individuals shall show comprehensive competency tailored to their tasks.
• Training in emergency response and first aid is essential.
• Barricades and safety signs restrict access to energized areas.
• Conductive barricades are not suitable for heightening electrical exposure risks.
• Barricades should be placed beyond the limited approach boundary, and danger signs are required where voltage levels are high.

Maintenance and Testing Schedule

• Comprehensive schedules and protocols are essential for predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, and preventive maintenance activities. Predictive maintenance utilizes data analytics and monitoring techniques to predict when maintenance is needed, optimizing equipment performance and minimizing downtime.

Prevention from Electrical Hazards

• Prevention from Direct Contact: Involves installing systems compliant with safety standards and using components suited to their environment and purpose.
• Prevention from Indirect Contact: Includes installing automatic differential switches, grounding systems, and magnetic-thermal switches.
• Fire and/or Explosion Prevention: Install protective devices that quickly shut off power during faults to prevent overheating.

Risk Control of Shock Hazard

• Follow procedures and practices to manage shock hazards, including crossing the limited approach boundary for circuits parts only by qualified persons.

Risk Control of Arc / Flashover Hazards

• Arcing faults in electrical equipment are multi-energy events that release high levels of energy in a short time.
• Business units must have procedures to reduce exposure to electric arc hazards.
• If incident energy is greater than 1.2 Cal/cm2 (5.0 Joule/cm2), plants must document arc flash risk.
• The risk assessment should assess incident energy, the arc-flash boundary, activity, equipment, body positioning, and tools.

Risk Control of Static Electricity Hazards

• Static electricity hazards pose risks potentially leading to ignition, injuries, or equipment damage, requiring mitigation.

Risk Control of Fire Hazards

• To manage fire hazards, procedures and practices should be in place to assess and manage risks associated with electrical equipment, involving the selection, procurement, and installation of equipment as well as maintenance practices.

Risk Control of Explosion Hazards

• Provision and maintenance of drawings/documents describing hazardous area limits.
• Selection/procurement of electrical equipment.
• Maintenance of order of installation.
• Methods to exclude potential ignition sources.
• A system to ensure safe electrical work.
• Sources of explosion risk should be evaluated according to the Risk Assessment Standard.

Risk Control of Flammable and Toxic Gas Hazards

• Assess and manage risks of hazards associated with handling gases.

Risk Control of ATEX Areas

• Mark areas with proper signage.
• Use ATEX safety markings, and check if all metal components are interconnected/grounded.

Risk Control of Portable Electrical Tool and Apparatus

• Portable equipment should be utilized in line with safety warnings.
• Cords shall not be fastened in a way that damages insulation.

Electrical Control Panels

• Provide enough space around equipment.
• Stand to the side when operating the control or main switch.

Switchgear, MCC and Motor Controller

• Enough space should be available around the electrical equipment to allow ready and safe access, operation, and maintenance of the equipment.

Borrowed Neutrals in Electrical Installation

• Prioritize dedicated neutrals, clearly label shared conductors, adhere to electrical codes for multi-circuit installations, and regularly monitor circuits to mitigate safety concerns.

Electrical Safety Management (Element 2)

• Business units should ensure accessibility, be up-to-date, and follow a rigorous risk assessment process that covers safe practices for normal and emergency operations. Additionally, these shall be reviewed every two years and alignment with internal standards.

Job plans and Permits

• Careful planning is an approach to manage exposure to hazards.
• A documented Permit to Work (PTW) system, including the "test before touch" approach, should be followed for all electrical systems work.
• Adherence to JSW standards is compulsory, including power isolation, and verification of proper tools.

Energy Isolation

• Energy isolation must be done before work on electrical equipment as per Lock out Tag out (LOTO) procedure standard and prevent inadvertent energization, test for absence of voltage, understand safe work boundaries and use techniques to enhance communication.

Deployment of Two Persons Together

• Business unit will ensure mutual support, response to emergencies, and knowledge by ensuring workers are trained and are able to be aware the jobs performed.

Documentation and Equipment Labelling

• Single line and schematic diagrams, underground service maps, area classification drawings, panel schedules, system studies, accurate documentation/labeling, and labels and equipment identification must be present.

Working On or Near Energized Electrical Equipment

• Assessment of the boundary is available in sub-station to guide man movement
• Only authorised personnel trained on the specific task and the hazards involved are permitted to perform work on energized conductors.
• Line management has participated in the decision to authorise work on energized conductors
• A specific job plan is written for the task.

Dismantle / Remove / Rearrange Electrical Work

• Implement procedures to ensure protection, testing & correct labeling.

Earthing

• Proper grounding reduces hazards. System and equipment earthing are involved, done by chemical resilience, compliance and visibility testing.

Execution of Electrical Work

• Have qualified electrical personnel assess the impact when changes/modifications arise.

Excavations and Penetrations

• Identify electrical lines and install safety boundary; check permits, JSA, and LOTO compliance, and de-energize cable.

Cranes and Mobile Equipment

• Ensure cranes and mobile equipment do not come close to overhead electric lines.

Installations in Areas with High Moisture Content

• Follow procedures to prevent moisture-related hazards.

Power Distribution Operations

• Procedures to be developed to eliminate dangers where feasible and to minimise the risk.

Contractor Management

• The plant shall incorporate all applicable electrical safety requirements in the contract, and follow business requirements to ensure training and adherence.

People and Facilities (Element 5)

• Each Business Unit shall ensure all persons who work on electrical systems shall be qualified according to National/International applicable legislation.

Training and Performance

• Electrical safety training shall be included in annual training plan of the group of personnel, who are having active role in performing electrical related works.

Incident Investigation and Reporting

• Business Units shall have procedures in place to help ensure that any electrical incident with the potential for serious injury and electrical incident is investigated.

Quality Assurance

• Electrical equipment should be fabricated and installed according to design specifications and requirements.

Pre-Start-Safety Review

• Permanent circuit identification and isolation information should be verified, and Arc flash hazard assessment completed with equipment is correct.

Mechanical Integrity

• Instruments for safety shall be tested and integrity of the earthing ensured.

Management of Subtle Change Facilities

• Management practices to manage changes that affect exposure to hazards.

Emergency Planning and Response

• Demonstrate preparedness with electrical equipment by including medical evaluation, mock drills and power shutdown system.