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Posted By Phil JB
Hi All,
We have a situation that I imagine is quite common:
Large office, with some big open-plan areas, and hundreds of 240v light fittings.
The maintenance manager goes round changing bulbs as and when they fail.
There are two main types of fitting.
One is a square fitting with four short (about 12 inch) fluorescent tubes wired in pairs - so if one of a pair goes out, the other also goes off.
The other type are the corridor lights which comprise two energy saving lamps per fitting, and are linked to the emergency lighting system.
All lamps are at 'normal' ceiling height and are accessed by step-ladder.
The corridor lamps are designed so that it would be difficult to accidentally touch the live connector whilst changing the bulb.
The fluoro tube lamps have the regular metal fittings on each end, and being only about 12 inches long, it would be possible to touch both metal fittings whilst changing the bulbs.
I am trying to ensure our maintenance manager changes the lamps in a safe and efficient way.
The obvious and safest way is to isolate the lighting circuit at the fuse panel, change the lamps and then re-energise the circuit once the lamps are changed and the reflector replaced. However, this means plunging large areas of the office into darkness, so can only really be done after hours. Doing this means the maintenance manager himself is working in a dark office and has to find a suitable way of lighting the work area, and works a longer day as he has to stay on to change the bulbs.
The other option I am looking at is working on the lights with them still 'live'. The safety measures I am considering to minimise the risk of electric shock and burns from hot lamps would involve the use of Kevlar/latex gloves, and a GRP step ladder. The advantages of this method would be that the lamps could be changed with the rest of the area still lit, and the maintenance manager would make less trips up and down the ladder. He could also change the bulbs in the normal working day (depending on the location of the light).
Is there any mileage on the second option as a viable safe method of changing the bulbs, or is isolation the only sensible & safe option?
Apologies for the long post - I'm new to all this!
Phil
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Posted By Tabs
Phil, most businesses use the second method. In practical terms the risks are quite low, if the surrounding fitting is first checked for faults.
Before touching the fittings, use a multimeter to show that none of the fitting has become live due to a fault, and then continue with the swap out.
On an unbroken fitting, the chances of touching live terminals when changing lamps is low, and overall the risks are lower than working in the dark.
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Posted By MickN
Phil,
Check the safety file for the building, and/or the office, and/or the light fittings and there should be information regarding the changing of bulbs there.
Failing that you could get an electrician to inspect the job first for risk of electrocution etc.
Mick
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Posted By Konstanty Budkiewicz
Phil,
The safety business hinges in many respects on the identification and control of stored energy. Mains voltage electricity is a point in case. Consequently, the HSE discourages the practices that you have described. For our part we train and mandate our staff to work on isolated (dead) systems: live working is only conducted in extremis and then supported by layers of safety measures including a permit-to-work.
You and your staff appear to be faced with the classic "press-on-itis" scenario, where operational needs override safety. May I suggest that you raise this safety issue with your operational managers: there must be operational flexibility somewhere in the short term that enables you to isolate that lighting circuit.
Secondary issues are:
a. Training - suggest that the FM manager undergoes some form of training in basic electrical safety awareness.
b. access - Your text gives the impression of one leaning on steps and using 2 hands to hold the equipment. Given the number of fittings involved, light changing is "reasonably foreseeable" in your area, coupled to the high repetition rate of the task, I suggest that there is a need to review your present access equipment and aim to provide a more suitable working platform for overhead working.
c. local isolation - Faced with your problem in a 24-hour operating environment. We have introduced a medium term programme for the fitting of switchable ceiling roses. These provide local isolation and no additional lights need to be switched off under this arrangement: they are so effective that our electricians have retro fitted in their own homes.
Kon
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