Electrical Hazards
6. Risks when Working on High Voltage Installations
6.2. Equipment for high voltage jobs and manoeuvres
b) Insulating rods.
- Depending on the possible use they are to be put to, these may be:
- Indoor.
- Outdoor.
- The most common uses of these rods include:
- Verifying the absence of voltage.
- Disconnection manoeuvres.
- Placing and removal of earthing devices.
- Cleaning of equipment.
- Extraction and insertion of fuses.
- When using them, the operator must complement their insulation with insulating gloves or insulating stools suitable for working with the rated voltage.
- They must be checked to make sure they do not present any external defects, dirtiness or moisture.
- The insulating part is to be cleaned with silicon.
- The equipment is to be designed for an appropriate insulating voltage for the job to be carried out.
- Insulating rods are to be light, with a high dielectric power factor and must present optimum mechanical properties.
- When using insulating rods, the user’s hands are to be placed below the marks that must be clearly indicated on the rod, in accordance with the voltage with which the rod is to be employed.
c) Absence of voltage detectors.
- Depending on the type of signal emitted, the detectors may be:
- Optical.
- Acoustic.
- Optico-acoustic.
- They may be equipped with a device for testing the functioning of the detector
- The detector must only be used within the voltage range shown on its characteristics plate.
- When using these devices, they must be coupled to insulating rods that are appropriate for working with the existing voltage and the operator is to complement their insulation with insulating gloves or insulating stools suitable for working with the rated voltage.
- The functioning of the detector must always be tested before and after being used.
d) Earthing and short-circuiting devices.
- These are to be used to ground and short-circuit Low Voltage and High Voltage lines.
- The following sequence is to be employed to install earthing and short-circuiting devices:
- Previously verify the absence of voltage.
- Connect the earth conductor to the device to the ground point of the installation devised for this purpose.
- Fasten the connection clamps to the conductors of elements to earth and short-circuit, starting with the one nearest you. An insulating stool, rod and gloves are to be used to carry out this operation.
- Follow the inverse process to that described to remove the clamps.
