LED Head lamps and FR suits

[byjuvc]

I have been following the discussions in this community..in our utility I have never seen the practise of using LED headlamps nor FR suits or safety glasses.I am involved in 11 KV switching operations on SF6 panels and the seniors say they are pretty safe and such Personal Protection Equipments are not required. I have just started my Electrical career. Can anyone guide me on this ?

Thanks

Byju

[HighPotter]

I have been following the discussions in this community..in our utility I have never seen the practise of using LED headlamps nor FR suits or safety glasses.I am involved in 11 KV switching operations on SF6 panels and the seniors say they are pretty safe and such Personal Protection Equipments are not required. I have just started my Electrical career. Can anyone guide me on this ?

Thanks

Byju

The senior who? What is there position? What country is this in? This can't be in the U.S.

Are your "seniors" going to be there for you, when one of the "pretty safe" switches goes bad, and your rolling on the ground in flames? FR rated clothing is mandatory. and safety glasses are a minimum.

I would ask them to run it by you one more time.

HP

[igloo64]

Sounds like you better get a clue . No company is safe. Equiptment DOES go bad. Dont trust someone elses word . Especially in this trade. You might end up 6 foot under.

[BigClive]

They're probably just "familiar" with the normal operation of enclosed gear. Sometimes enclosed gear does have issues internally though and sometimes it just completely fails to contain the result. This is when a life free of protective clothing would become a life of pain.

I'd think that it's common sense for anyone in the electrical distribution industry to protect themselves with at least a long sleeved flame retardent shirt and a pair of stylish shades that were also rated to offer good protection. For more serious switching you get into the realm of the slightly cumbersome suits that are apparently no fun to wear at all in hot climates.

Does your employer have a safety clothing policy?

LED head torches are just a very useful addition to the tool kit, and will come in useful for many things. Even during daylight hours they find use in tight panels when the extra wash of directional light can save you working in the dark.

I personally recommend the Petzl Tikka range of head lights. The standard elastic headband version is so light and comfortable to wear that you can forget you have it on. The batteries despite being the small AAA cells last for a VERY long time with gradual reduction in intensity but with the light remaining a crisp useful white. I do a lot of work in the entertainment industry and it's a very popular torch amongst the lighting technicians and riggers.

[shocker]

i hope you know what sf6 gas becomes when it hits the air.

[HighPotter]

i hope you know what sf6 gas becomes when it hits the air.

yes i do.

What do you think it becomes when it hits air?

[byjuvc]

The senior who? What is there position? What country is this in? This can't be in the U.S.

Are your "seniors" going to be there for you, when one of the "pretty safe" switches goes bad, and your rolling on the ground in flames? FR rated clothing is mandatory. and safety glasses are a minimum.

I would ask them to run it by you one more time.

HP
You are right . This is not in US. I am in India working for a Private Power Distribution Co by the name North Delhi Power Limited. One of the first private Distribution Companies in our country. Thanks for all the advise friends . I will take this up with our safety officer.

Byju

[HighPotter]

Sf 6 only turns into disulfur decafluoride ( commonly refered to as mustard gas) when there has been alot of arcing, in the chamber, which of course is bad. Older CB's that have tripped or operated alot are more likely to be in bad shape, and have the disulfur decaflouide present. There will be a rotton egg smell to bad sf-6 gas. Even then, the concentration has to be very dense, for it to be cause any problems. Like a big breaker , or an inside location

With new breakers or breakers where the sf 6 is scrubbed/filtered occasionally, it isn't present.

Up untill the mid 80's, alot of utilities just vented the gas into the atmosphere, rather then reclaim it. Now we know it's true effects on the atmosphere ( green house gas) and it is reclaimed, on breakers up to 235kv.

HP

[mscheuerer]

I have been following the discussions in this community..in our utility I have never seen the practise of using LED headlamps nor FR suits or safety glasses.I am involved in 11 KV switching operations on SF6 panels and the seniors say they are pretty safe and such Personal Protection Equipments are not required. I have just started my Electrical career. Can anyone guide me on this ?

Thanks

Byju

Okay, i'll tell you what.... you watch this and then tell me how you feel.

http://www.magnaelectric.com/content/view/39/56/

This clip has been around for a while and I have to totally agree with these other guy's. You and your company would be fools no matter where, in what country and on whatever planet to NOT protect yourself with the minimum required PPE, whether it be clothing or mechanically. If your just a student in this field then good luck with that electrical career because the path your going by listening to your "supervisors" seems to be inherently dangerous to your health and welfare in dealing with the type of electricity you are switching and will someday catch up to you. Hopefully not for the worse.

[byjuvc]

Okay, i'll tell you what.... you watch this and then tell me how you feel.

http://www.magnaelectric.com/content/view/39/56/

This clip has been around for a while and I have to totally agree with these other guy's. You and your company would be fools no matter where, in what country and on whatever planet to NOT protect yourself with the minimum required PPE, whether it be clothing or mechanically. If your just a student in this field then good luck with that electrical career because the path your going by listening to your "supervisors" seems to be inherently dangerous to your health and welfare in dealing with the type of electricity you are switching and will someday catch up to you. Hopefully not for the worse.

The video was indeed informative..Will be careful while working..