ontario electrical safety awards · pdf fileinaugural ontario electrical safety awards ......

Ontario ElectricalSafety Awards

Electrical Distribution Safety

Inaugural Ontario Electrical Safety Awards

Nominations for 4 categories:

Powerline Safety

Product Safety

Workplace/Worker Safety

Consumer/Home Electrical Safety

Power line Safety Award (selection criteria)

Leadership in promoting power line safety within the community or industry

Prevention based programs or practices

that have improved power line safety in a community, workplace or recreational setting – impacting a large number of individuals


Made a significant contribution to the building of a “safety culture” through commitment to one of the five beliefs:

Electrical accidents are socially unacceptable

Accidents and injuries can be prevented

We are each responsible for our own safety

Safety is an integral part of our day-to-day lives and every job

© Electrical Safety Authority 2010 For Your SafetyUAC

Bulletins Update October 2010

OESC Bulletins – October 2010



Bulletin 84-1-6 Interconnection of electric power production sources

Scope

Requirements for non-utility generating systems

Single-phase inverters connected to three-phase system

Disconnecting means and overcurrent protection for multiple inverters operating in parallel

Inverters approval




Question 1

For FIT Systems (> 10KW), when using inverter technology, are single-phase inverters, certified as “UTILITY-INTERCONNECTED” and connected in a three-phase balanced configuration, permitted to be connected to a three-phase utility system?




Answer 1

No, unless the customer provides the following:

Confirmation that the installation is acceptable to the LDC;

The installation meets the inverter manufacturer’s requirements;




Answer 1 (cont.)

Where permitted to be connected by the LDC, the three-phase configured system shall be considered one generation source for the purpose of applying Rules 84-008 and 84-018, and shall meet the following requirements:

Confirmation that Rule 84-008 is satisfied by providing loss of utility voltage sensing; and

Confirmation that Rule 84-018 is satisfied by providing loss of generator voltage sensing




Question 2

For micro FIT Systems (10KW or less), are one or two single-phase inverters certified as “UTILITY-INTERCONNECTED” permitted to be connected to a three-phase utility system, similar to the Diagram?




Answer 2:

No, unless the customer provides the following:

Confirmation that the installation is acceptable to the LDC, and

The installation meets the inverter manufacturer’s requirements;




Question 3

Where two single-phase inverters are permitted to be connected to a three-phase utility system, will these be considered as one generation source for the purpose of applying Rules 84-008 and 84-018?




Single-phase inverters connected to three-phase system

Answer 3:

No, where the unbalanced voltage is acceptable to the LDC, it shall be permitted to consider each inverter as a separate source for the application of Rules 84-008 and 84-018. Rule 84-008 is satisfied by using an approved “UTILITY-INTERCONNECTED”

inverter, where upon loss of voltage in the phase(s) to which the inverter is connected, the inverter will cease to deliver power to these phase(s).

Rule 84-018 will not require each inverter to communicate to the other inverter which is connected to other phase(s) and disconnect upon its failure or disconnection.



Rationale : The inverters are not connected in a 3-phase balanced configuration, and are not considered as one generation source. The unbalance is already accepted by the LDC and is according to the manufacturer data. Failure of one inverter does not increase the unbalance. If one single-phase inverter is connected, the Code does not require it to sense the voltage on the phase it is not feeding. CSA standard C22.2 No. 107.1

Clauses 15.3.4.1 and 15.3.4.2 require a utility interconnected inverter both a single and a three-phase to cease to deliver power on the phase(s) that the inverter is connected to when the phase(s) voltage goes outside the range specified in Table 16 of the Standard.




Visit www.esasafe.com for more information about installation of solar photovoltaic installations and for all OESC bulletins related to generation installations.

http://www.esasafe.com/



Thank You

Serious Incidents

UAC October 7 2010


Serious Incidents

• Member of the Public Incident

• Non Electrical Worker Contact

• 3 phase service failure incident

• Directional bore incident


Member of the

Public Incident• Homeowner gardening on park property adjacent to

his property received an electrical shock from an

un-used service conductor which was installed 16

years ago to be used for park pathway lighting.

• LDC requirements (past and current) to install

secondary cables in conduit from transformer to lot

line; cap the service cables; conduit to be taped to 2x4

marker 1ft above the ground and energize all services

in the single phase pad mounted transformer.


Member of the

Public Incident• Rationale -Since the secondary bars in the pad mounted

transformer have limited space to terminate the service cables

to the live transformer, they terminate all cables prior to

energizing the transformer for worker safety and to prevent

shorting of the transformer.

• LDC has reviewed other locations which service cables were

installed and not connected.

• They are currently reviewing their standard to help identify the

secondary service stub.


Non-Electrical

Worker Contact• New condo under construction with zero property

line set back. Existing powerlines to building met

horizontal clearances.

• Scaffold clearance was 500mm from powerlines with

line covers.

• 18 year old scaffold worker part of a human

dismantling chain contacted an 8000V powerline

while passing down the scaffold between the line

covers and scaffold.

• Arc flash caused 2nd degree burns to both arms and

chest.Electrical Distribution Safety

Non-Electrical

Worker Contact• Contact was made at the primary drop lead stir up

clamp which was not covered.

• The LDC written procedure required 1.2m clearance

from line cover ups to workers.

• Still under investigation


3 phase Service Failure

• 3 phase secondary service installed up to termination

pole; phase conductor were identified as red, black,

blue and white for the neutral.

• LDC ran cables up the pole cut the access conductors,

re-taped and terminated to the secondary bus.

• LDC energized 2 phases of the bank of transformers

and finally the 3rd phase which caused the

transformers to hum and burn the 3 phase secondary

bus onto a single phase service.


3 Phase Service Failure

• Investigation revealed 2

of the conductors were

incorrectly taped.

• LDC crews did not test

and inspect prior to

energization.

• LDC has now

incorporated to test all

wires prior to

energizing.


Directional Bore Incident

• Directional bore from boulevard across parking lot

into electrical room to install communication duct.

• Customer owned secondary duct and cable was hit

and caused a pressure wave which blasted into the

electrical room and the 3 phase pad mounted

transformer.

• Doors blew off from the hinges and hit a truck on the

road while waiting for the traffic lights; no injuries to

the driver.



• Locates only identified

LDC owned primary

cables.

• Contractor was unaware

that customer owned

secondary cables are not

identified by the LDC

during locates.

• Still under investigation


Ministry of Consumer Services

Ministère des Services aux consommateurs

One Call to Dig Project

Status Update

Utility Advisory Council

October 7, 2010

October 7, 2010 2

One Call to Dig

▪ The Ministry of Consumer Services (MCS) is leading the One Call to Dig project, a priority initiative under the province’s “Open for Business (OFB)” strategy, to establish province-wide access for excavators to a single phone number for underground locates.

▪ Currently, in some parts of the province, an excavator may have to call up to 13 numbers for locates.

▪ The objective is to ensure that at least 80% of Ontario’s population has access to a single phone number to locate underground utilities prior to digging in order to protect public safety and to create business efficiencies for utilities and

excavators.

October 7, 2010 3

Open For Business

▪ The One Call to Dig project is a key deliverable under the province’s “Open for Business” initiative to:

increase public safety

minimize service disruptions caused by unauthorized digging

reduce the burden of business interaction with government and its agencies

set precedence in the future for a more collaborative and less regulatory way of doing business in Ontario.

▪ In keeping with the Open for Business principles, the government is consulting and collaborating with utility owners and municipalities rather than legislating, in order to increase voluntary participation in the one call to dig system.

▪ MCS is working with its ministry and agency partners including the Electrical Safety Authority, the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance and other private and public stakeholders to increase the voluntary participation of all gas and hydro utility owners and municipalities in the one call to dig system.

October 7, 2010 4

Status Update

▪ Since the start of the One Call to Dig project in June 2009, MCS staff have been executing a province-wide outreach strategy, aimed primarily at municipalities.

▪ This includes participation in over 50 trade shows, conferences and meetings.

▪ As of September 30, 2010, 127 utilities and 49 municipalities in Ontario (out of a total 622 utilities and municipalities) are currently participating in one call system. This represents a 30% increase of municipal participation.

▪ As a percentage of Ontario’s population, this represents:

80% coverage for gas utilities

75% coverage for hydro utilities

33% coverage for municipal services (e.g., water and sewer)

▪ Deloitte Touche completed a report on the cost benefits of one call membership:

Conclusion - while membership cost to both municipalities and electrical utility owners is cost neutral, there are many other benefits in joining.

Challenge - lack of information about how the one call to dig system works and its benefits.

4

October 7, 2010 5

Challenges

▪ A single one call system does not exist in Ontario.

▪ Gaining access to municipal decision makers.

▪ The introduction of a third one call to dig service provider with a different business model.

▪ Multiple service providers:

Public perception - the government cannot be seen as supporting one service provider over another.

One stop approach - multiple businesses with different phone numbers competing to deliver the same one-call service challenges the streamlined one-window vision of a single province-wide phone number.

October 7, 2010 6

Next Steps

▪ Continue raising awareness and focus our efforts more on specific utilities, municipalities and individual decision-makers.

▪ Schedule face-to-face meetings with the decision makers of non-member utilities and municipalities in order to dispel myths and provide information on the benefits of voluntary participation.

▪ Shift to a more targeted approach, specifically focusing on the following seven large municipalities: Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, Burlington, Caledon, Oakville and Ajax.

▪ Work closely with our inter-governmental partners – the Ministries of Labour, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Energy and Infrastructure, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, and Electrical Safety Authority to ensure coordinated recruitment efforts.

▪ Continue to work with other private and public stakeholders to increase the voluntary participation of all gas and hydro utility owners and municipalities in a one call to dig system.

▪ Work with the industry to assess implications for growth and facilitate the coordination of a one call system among multiple service providers.

6

October 7, 2010 7

How You Can Help

Discuss the benefits of a one call system with your colleagues as a means to encourage them share the information with others.

Engage in outreach and consider providing testimonial encouragement to non-members to promote participation in a one call system.

Become a member of a one call system if you are not one already.

If you know someone who wants to become a member of a one call system, refer them to the MCS One Call to Dig project office.

If you need more information, contact the MCS One Call to Dig project office.

October 7, 2010 8

Contact

Lynn Butler

Project Director

One Call to Dig

Ministry of Consumer Services

777 Bay Street – 5th Floor

Toronto, ON M7A 2J3

Tel: 416-212-5727

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

October 7, 2010 9

One Call to Dig

Call Before You Dig

…help us make the

connection!

ESA Safety Strategy

Develop and implement long term strategies that will lead to improvements in 5 priority areas: Power line Safety, Worker Safety, Product Safety, Aging Infrastructure, New Wiring

Through collaborative relationships with others in the integrated electrical safety system

Five year Goal - 30% reduction of the 5 year rolling average of electrical contact and fire fatalities

Priority Areas

Power line Safety

Reduce Power line contacts among non-electrical workers and the public

Worker Safety

Reduce worker incidents related to unsafe work practices with or near electrical equipment (other than power lines)

Aging Infra-structure

Reduce electrical contact and fire incidents related to street lighting and existing residential building installations

Product Safety

Reduce fires and safety incidents related to electrical products

New Wiring Align more ESA resources to highest priority harm reduction initiatives

Power line Safety FY2011

• Forming an safe community alliance

• Engage Utilities and others to develop plans that address the safety of aging infrastructure

• With industry, develop best practice trade guideline (e.g.: working near power lines, tree planting)

• Implement 2011 Power line safety awareness campaigns ( Heighten awareness amongst municipalities of LDC safety clearance requirements from buildings)- March 2011

• Research on warning sensors for high reach equipment

• Increase prevention activities (inspectors) by 5% related to worker safety and construction site power line safety

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