Lessons Learned from Electrical Safety Issues at a New Assignment

1. Lessons Learned from Electrical Safety Issues at a New Assignment Jack George � Facility Representative  Integrated Project Team - Brookhaven Site Office Environmental Management - Consolidated Business Center

2. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 2 Experience in Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Nuclear Electrician on Submarines for 15 years Hanford Site Lockout/Tagout Program Manager for 10 years Tank Farms Electrical Safety Officer for 3 Years

3. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 3 LOTO Requirements NFPA 70E 120.2(A) and 29CFR1910.333(b)(1) state that all electrical circuit conductors and circuit parts shall be considered energized until the source of energy is removed, at which time they shall be considered deenergized. All electrical circuit conductors and circuit parts shall not be considered to be in an electrically safe condition until deenergized, and the disconnecting means is under lockout/tagout, and the absence of voltage is verified by an approved voltage testing device.

4. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 4 Electrical Safety Requirements NFPA 70E Article 130.1 and CFR1910.333(a)(1) requires that live parts to which a worker might be exposed shall be put into an electrically safe work condition before a worker works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards (e.g., deenergizing life support equipment) or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations.

5. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 5 Electrical Safety Requirements NFPA 70E Article 110.8(B)(1)(a) and Article 130.2 requires that a shock hazard analysis determine the voltage to which personnel will be exposed, boundary requirements, and the personal protective equipment necessary in order to minimize the possibility of electric shock to personnel while working on or near live parts.

6. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 6 Electrical Safety Requirements NFPA 70E Article 110.8(B)(1)(b) and Article 130.3 require that a flash hazard analysis shall be done in order to protect personnel from the possibility of being injured by an arc flash. The analysis shall determine the flash protection boundary and the personal protective equipment that people within the flash protection boundary shall use. The default flash hazard distance is 4 ft for the 450v.

7. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 7 Conditions in the Field

8. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 8 Conditions in the Field FR Observed Maintenance in progress without LOTO Lifted Leads in a Motor Control Center as equivalent to LOTO FR Found a Controller with a Caution Tag on the Disconnect on an abandoned piece of equipment Tag Stated leads lifted to motor

9. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 9 Initial Perceptions Not utilizing LOTO to Perform Servicing & Maintenance Misapplication of Energized Electrical Work Permit Removed PPE while the Arc Flash Hazard Still Present These are Big Deal Items!These are Big Deal Items!

10. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 10 Fac Rep Initial Actions Verified the nobody was working on the circuit Immediately contacted the Supervisor explained the issue Supervisor applied LOTO, this addressed the safety issue, and made arrangements to have a follow up discussion in the morning Made sure of safety! I realized these folks had no idea what I was talking about, so I followed up in the morning.Made sure of safety! I realized these folks had no idea what I was talking about, so I followed up in the morning.

11. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 11 Human Performance Perspective The Electricians, Their Supervisor and the BNL Electrical Safety Officer all believed: What they were doing was safe Their actions met every OSHA and NFPA 70E requirement There was a difference in the interpretation of requirements Human Performance = Behavior + Results Results satisfactory, the work got done Behavior not satisfactory, regulations not followed This means Performance is not satisfactory They were very sincere and technically competent They were very sincere and technically competent

12. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 12 What is a Fac Rep to Do? They actually believed that the FR was wrong and could not be persuaded otherwise. Fac Rep Options: Play Hardball and Force the Issue Work with Them Where They Are Both Options have the Same Goal: Improve Performance!! Keep the end goal in mind!!Keep the end goal in mind!!

13. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 13 Possible Outcomes at Brookhaven Every Place Is Different!! Hardball � Symptom not the problem would be resolved. FR would been alienated for a long time, thereby ineffective Work with Them � Stop disputed actions until matter is resolved. Fix the problem for a long term solution. FR stays effective!

14. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 14 Fac Rep Actions Deal With the Situation Differently High Hazard Intervention (Stop Work) Low Hazard Teach/Convince

15. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 15 Current Situation The Lab has stopped using an Energized Electrical Work Permit to lift leads and has trained on PPE/Arc Flash Hazards The Lab has National Electric Code training by an NEC Board Member The Lab is reviewing LOTO and Electrical Safety processes using the Electrical Safety Committee with DOE Oversight

16. 2007 FR Conference, Jack George, EM-CBC, Brookhaven 16 Final Thought To be effective the FR, or anyone, has to understand the culture and adapt their actions accordingly to change behavior thereby attaining the goal of � IMPROVED PERFORMANCE!! Keep the end goal in mind!!!Keep the end goal in mind!!!