The Safety precaution to be observed by staff engaged in operation

and maintenance of technical equipment are mentioned here in

brief.

Right Mental Atmosphere

(i) Do not take things for granted. Cultivate the habit of being
cautions. Carelessness or forgetfulness on your part may
endanger not only your life but also the lives of other persons
working with you. Watch your health ; you are better able to
keep alert if you come to work in a fresh and properly rested
condition. Never come to work in an intoxicated condition.

(ii) Preach and practice safety at all times. Good work gets
spoiled by an accident.

(iii) Think calmly and make sure that you are right before you act.
Watch out on the other person and make sure that he is right.
Haste causes accidents. Do not disturb the concentration of a
person while he is at work.

(iv) Do not allow familiarity to careless ness in handling

equipment. Work deliberately and carefully. Be sure of the
work you are doing.

(v) If you are in doubt about a safety measure or how to protect

yourself or others working under you, consult your superior
at the earliest opportunity without waiting for the emergency.
Realisation of Responsibilties

(i) Know what your responsibilities are. Do not try to carry

out any work that may be beyond your competence.

(ii) Report to the person-in-charge or to any other proper

authority any dangerous practice which you may observe
and any abnormality that can be a source of danger. Do
not hesitate to put forward any useful suggestions for
improving safety.

(iii) Always obey the safety instructions given by the person

in-charge.

(iv) Pay proper attention to Danger Notices, Warning Boards

etc. They are intended to protect you. Warn others when
they seem to be in danger.
Awareness of Electrical Hazards

(i) All voltages are dangerous. Extreme care should be

exercised in dealing with the high voltage circuits. It
should, however, be remembered that even ordinary
domestic supplies at 230 volts or even lower are
responsible for many fatal accidents.

(ii) Only competent and authorized persons should handle

electrical and electronic equipment and such persons
should take all safety measures as may be required under
the Indian Electricity Rules.

(iii) The exposed metal parts of all electrical equipment must

be properly earthed. Earthing connection should never be
disconnected.

(iv) Treat all electrical apparatus always as live and

consequently dangerous to human life. Do not touch or
work with any electrical gear or conductor unless you
have made sure that is dead and properly earthed.

(v) High voltage apparatus may give leakage shock or flash

over even without touching.

(vi) Do not touch an electric equipment when your hands are

wet or bleeding from a cut.

(vii) The charge retained by electrical machinery or equipment

when stopped should be discharged and earthed using an
adequately insulated lead (Earth Rod) before making
connections to an “apparently dead” machine or
equipment. Discharged operation shall be repeated several
times.
(viii) During the whole period of work on an equipment isolated
from its supply, capacitors in circuit should be discharged
and their terminals permanently short circuited.

(ix) Do not touch a circuit with bare fingers or handle to

determine whether or not it is live.

(x) Visitors and unauthorised persons should not be allowed

to approach live mains and apparatus, unless they are
accompanied by an authorised person who would be
responsible to ensure that instructions regarding safety are
strictly complied with. Visitors and unauthorised persons
should not be allowed to touch or handle electrical
apparatus.

(xi) Do not lean against technical equipment.

(xii) No work shall be attempted on or near the mast when

there are heavy clouds or visible lightning in the sky or
there is likelihood of a thunderstorm.
Familiarity with Protective Devices

(i) Make sure you understand he working and use of all

protective devices, the precautions about the isolation and
earthing of circuits, fuses, etc.

(ii) Never take risks. In your enthusiasm to clear a break

down quickly ; never take chances with safety devices
such as interlocks, etc. which are provided for your
protection. Do not bypass interlocks except as provided in
the Safety precautions instructions.

Display of Danger Notices/Warning Boards

(i) When working in areas which contain or may contain live

mains and apparatus, fix Danger Notice Boards. Such
areas may also be provided with suitable barriers, rails or
other guarding arrangements. Danger notices should be in
understandable language appropriate to the location. Clear
illustrations and pictorial signs may also be used.

(ii) Warning Boards should be placed by the person-incharge

on all switch-gear before men are permitted to work and
should only be removed by the same person who has
placed them.

(iii) Where more than one repair party is engaged in work, a

Warning Board/Label for each party shall be placed on the
switch. Each party shall remove only its own Warning
Boards/Label upon completion of the work.
Isolation of Equipment from Supply

(i) Maintenance work should be taken up only after the

equipment is switched off and isolated from the mains
supply. Disconnection of the equipment from the supply
should be checked by visual inspection before starting the
work on the equipment.

(ii) Every person who is in charge of work on any mains or

apparatus should ensure that it is free from dangerous
leakages or induction and has been effectively earthed
locally before permitting men to work upon it.

(iii) Always remember that there may be more than one source
of supply to the equipment when it is to be isolated from
mains supply, and that R.F. voltage induced in conductors
can also be dangerous.

(iv) Before working on any circuit or equipment make sure

that the controlling switches are opened and locked or the
fuse holders removed.
Special Precautions for Working on Live Circuits

(i) Make certain that all safety precautions including the

provision of suitable insulation from earth and use of tools
with insulated handles. Rubber Gloves. etc. have been
taken before working on live circuits or live parts, and that
you are accompanied by a second person competent to
help in an emergency and to render First Aid and Artificial
Respiration.

(ii) When working at elevated positions if there is a risk of

contact with electrical conductors the safety helmet must
be of insulating material.

(iii) If practicable use only one hand, in performing the work

and keep the other hand clear from earthed points.

(iv) While working on live mains and equipment, do not wear

loose clothing and metallic personal accessories such as
bracelets, rings, etc.

(v) Do not use pencils or similar articles to manually operate a

live Contractor or to point out possible faults as the
graphite core is a conductor.

(vi) Never speak to a person working on live mains or

equipment, unless the person doing the work is aware of
your presence.
Safety incorporated equipment and Right Operating Practice

(i) The equipment shall be maintained always in such

condition as to comply with the relevant safety
requirements.

(ii) Ensure that all portable electrical equipment are provided

with 3 pin plug and socket connections and that the
exposed metal parts (body) of the apparatus is effectively
earthed.

(iii) All portable electrical equipment shall be regularly

examined, tested and maintained to ensure that the
equipment and leads including the earth connection are in
good order.

(iv) To ensure safety test regularly at frequent intervals the

flexible cables of tools and electrical appliances. Do not
use kinked or damaged cabled.

(v) Always use portable hand lamps of the insulated safety

type provided with an insulated handle and wire guard.
Do not use a lamp in metal holder fixed to the end of a
loose flexible wire as a portable hand lamp.

(vi) Before plugging in any portable lamp or equipment, make

sure that the switch is OFF. Insert the plug properly in the
socket.

(vii) Do not disconnect a plug by pulling the flexible cable or

when the switch is ON.

Before replacing a lamp or handling a fan make sure that the

supply is switched OFF.