ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATERS BASIC INFORMATION AND TUTORIALS

These common devices carry the disadvantage of using high-grade energy to do a low-grade task. Their advantages, however, are impressive: low first cost and individual thermostatic control that can easily be used to make each room a separate heating zone.

Thus, the energy wasted at the electricity-generating plant (usually 60% to 70%) can be partially “recovered” at the building, where unused rooms can remain unheated.

As in the case of metal wood stoves, surfaces can sometimes reach high temperatures, requiring care in the location of heaters relative to furniture placement, draperies, and traffic flow.

Electric heaters are sized by their capacity in kilowatts (1 kW = 3413 Btu/h). The maximum watt density allowed is 250 W per linear foot of heater (820 W per linear meter).

HOTLINE TOOLS SAFETY RULES BASIC INFORMATION AND TUTORIALS

What are the safety rules in using hotline tools?

Follow these safety rules when working with hot-line tools:

• Do not perform hot-line work when rain or snow is threatening or when heavy dew, fog, or other excessive moisture is present. Exceptions to this rule are when conducting switching operations, fusing, or clearing damaged equipment that presents a hazard to the public or to troops.

• Remain alert. If rain or snow starts to fall or an electrical storm appears while a job is in progress, complete the work as quickly as possible to allow safe, temporary operation of the line until precipitation or lightning ceases. Judgment of safe weather conditions for hot-line work is the foreman's responsibility.

• Perform hot-line work during daylight if possible. In emergency situations, work under artificial light if all conductors and equipment being worked on are made clearly visible.

• Do not wear rubber gloves with hot-line tools because they make detection of brush discharges impossible.

• Avoid holding outer braces or other metal attachments.

• Avoid unnecessary conversation.

• Maintain close cooperation among everyone on the job.

• Treat wooden pole structures the same as steel towers.

• Be careful with distribution primaries. When they are located on the same pole with high-tension lines, cover them with rubber protective equipment before climbing through or working above them.

• Do not change your position on the pole without first looking around and informing others.

• Never use your hands to hold a live line clear of a lineman on a pole. Secure the line with live-line tools and
lock it in a clamp.

• Stay below the live wire when moving it until it is thoroughly secured in a safe working position.

• Take special precautions on poles having guy lines.

• Do not use a rope on conductors carrying more than 5,000 volts unless the rope is insulated from the conductor with an insulated tension link stick.

SELECTION OF LINEMAN ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT BASIC INFORMATION AND TUTORIALS

How to select electrical protective equipment for lineman safety engineering?

The requirements for the hazard analysis and selection of protective clothing must first be defined.

Assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which require the use of personal protective equipment. If such hazards are determined, the employer should select and have each employee use, the type of personal productive equipment that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment.

Train the employee to be knowledgeable with the following issues and scenarios:

• When personal productive equipment is necessary;
• What personal productive equipment is necessary;
• How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear personal productive equipment;
• The limitations of the personal productive equipment;
and
• The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of personal productive equipment.

Include shock, arc, and blast assessments in the hazard analyses. Identify the selection, inspection, and use requirements for electrical personal productive equipment. Specify the type of clothing that is prohibited.

Utilize protective shields, protective barriers, or insulating materials to protect each employee from shock, burns, or other electrically related injuries while that employee is working near exposed energized parts which might be accidentally contacted or where dangerous electric heating or arcing might occur.

Protective clothing, including a complete multilayered flash suit with hood and face shield, may be required for the operation, insertion, or removal of a circuit breaker.

Calculate the incident energy (in cal/cm2) available at the work site in order to determine and the protective clothing required for the specific task. Additionally, determine a "Flash protection boundary" for all energized work.

At this boundary, exposed flesh must not receive a second-degree burn or worse. After determining the type, purchase the necessary protective
clothing and train employees on how to properly wear the gear.