High Voltage Switching Safety, Operations and Maintenance

Introduction
This High Voltage Switching Safety, Operations and Maintenance training course will feature the importance and relevance of switching in High Voltage Power Systems in operation and maintenance. Engineers and technicians will familiarize themselves with relevant safety procedures and practices used for its implementation. General guidance to safety and practical examples of Management Systems will be presented as well as necessity of having procedures during operation and maintenance.
Technical aspects of switching devices as well as their maintenance requirements are briefly included in the course in order to understand the risks associated with switchgear operation. Aspects of modern maintenance techniques in asset managements will be covered at the level appropriate for this training course.

OBJECTIVES
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
• Understand what are the hazards associated with switching
• Correctly select and use of equipment
• Managers and supervisors will learn the actions in respect to safety
• Learn how to assess safe working practices
• Discuss network operator’s procedures
• Discuss and understand set of distribution safety rules through examples
Course Outline
DAY 1
• Switching in Power systems
o Manual, automatic, on protection operation
• Standards Guides and Code of Practice
• General guidance to work safely
o Health and Safety Executive (HSE) booklet entitled Electricity at Work – Safe Working Practices (HSG85)
o What are the hazards?
o Correct selection and use of equipment
o Actions for managers and supervisors
o Assessing safe working practices
• Management systems
o Policies and procedures covering the installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and removal of the equipment

DAY 2
• Technical aspect of switchgear
• Safe switching (operation) of the switchgear
• Potential problems with switchgear
o Lack of knowledge
o Modification
o Dependent manual operating mechanism
• Lack of maintenance
• Earthing
o Technical Requirements
o Safety requirements
• Site Safety Management
• Safe Isolation
• Electrical Permits to work

DAY 3
• Switching operation for maintenance
• Deciding whether to work dead or live
• Actions common to both dead and live working
• Working dead
• Working live
o Operational Issues
o Fault level and ratings
o Effect of on-site generation and other large rotating machines
o Precautions for reducing the risk of swg failure and injury
• Switching to enable safe working
• Equipment isolation
• Additional precaution
DAY 4
• Network operator’s procedures
• Set of Distribution Safety Rules (Example)
• Typical example of an electrical permit-to-work
• Records
o Network diagrams
o Asset register
o Maintenance records
• Maintenance of oil CBs
o Risks and Hazards associated with CB operation
o Inspection
o Condition Monitoring
o Reliability Centered maintenance
o Refurbishment and replacement
o Maintenance of SF6 CBs
DAY 5
• Incidents
• Investigation procedures
• Fulfilling the Legislative aspect
o Appoint competent personal
o Have policy
o Do risk assessment
o Train staff
• Regulator’s role