Load Bank saftey

[zgenerator]

I was reading the topic on the buddy system and this rings very timely for me. I supervise a service department for a generator company and recently sales is asking why we are sending two techs out on load banks for generators of 100kw. The response was that this particular business has always done it that way. Since I am new to this company I did some research in the OSHA regulations to determine what is required, and found that according to OSHA I can send one tech to load bank any of our generators. We service and rent up to 1,500kw and could not believe this was the case. I guess what I am asking is what are other techs doing out there when they load bank, are you using the buddy system on all or any of your test? If you are using the buddy system does your company have a rule on the number of techs and when to send multiple techs?

 

[LarryFine]

If you prefer to send two men, and I agree you should, never let someone else's guidelines make you do otherwise.

 

[brian john]

I have load banked with a few as one man to as many as 12 (3 meg 380') depends on the size of the unit, location, distance to load bank and on and on.

 

[zog]

It is an age old question, safety or profit? You need to make that decision yourself.

We had one of our best techs, no our best tech at the last company I worked for die doing a simple battery bank test that he had done many times before, this time he was alone, it was obvious that he became stuck in a position that caused a mild shock to the head for a long duration to become fatal, no doubt if there would have been someone with him he would have survived with minor injuries.