We got this vault we are going to be core drilling into so we can bring the primaries out of it to a transformer. I don't have any high volt experience. It has what my co-worker was calling load breaks in it. I believe it is 13200 volt primaries. Is it safe to be in this thing at all while it's hot? If so is it safe to pull wire while it's hot? I don't think we are making the terminations. I work for people where safety is a after thought and high voltage is dangerous.
Safety in a High Voltage Vault
- Thread starter wawireguy
- Start date
- Status
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
i am assuming this underground substructure is privately owned?
working above 600 volts requires an "authorized" person, per osha.
this is a designation bestowed by the authority owning the equipment,
usually a public utility. it normally requires two years experience with
the type of equipment and voltages you are being authorized for.
the two years experience is per osha, as well.
i've worked in substructures while they are energized, this is commonly
done, depending on the equipment and conductors installed. linemen
do it all the time, pulling feeders and whatnot.
here's the deal. this is "not" the place to get specific information
about how to do this. your life depends on working error free.
as you have no hands on experience at MV services, you would
normally perform the work under an authorized person, who would
hold the clearance, outage, or work authority.
there's a whole drill to working in underground substructures, from
the time you pull the manhole, to the time you cover it back up,
starting with a gas sniffer sampling at three levels before the hole
is ventilated. you need a "rope a dope" personnel extractor. there's
a whole litany of utility providing service requirements that MUST
be adhered to.
you aren't even supposed to LIFT the manhole cover without a
work authority, and an authorized person to hold it. not even to
peek inside.
unless your work environment has a strong resemblance to what
i've just described, don't go down in the vault.
good luck...
randy
I appreciate the information you've given me. Doing this like you described is pretty much beyond what I can expect from the people I work for. It is a govt job so hopefully someone with some common sense such as the govt rep/oversear will mandate some safety steps be taken.
- Status