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Posted By Jason Hough
Morning,
I need some advice,
I have an issue we are trying to reslove regarding a machine operator entering an electrical control panel to reset a trip. Can a operator be authorised or trained as such to be able to do this simple task.
To explain our situation further. We have a metal cutting saw, due to the nature of the saw the bar being cut can sometimes jam in the vice and a trip operates. The operator whom has been trained on the saw knows the fault, knows how to rectify it, what control can we impliment to cover / solve this. We run 24hrs a day and maintenance cover is only avaliable during the day. So if at night this trip went we would get no production.
Any comments or advice would be greatfully recieved
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Posted By Paul Phillips
Surely the answer is to find out why the saw is jamming and cure that, then the operator wont have to reset the trip.
I'm always against allowing operators to open and reset trips especially where there may be open conductors.
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Posted By Jason Hough
It the obvious answer to stop the bars from jamming. Bars are round, they move they roll etc.. it isnt that easy, I wish it was! There is he odd occasion where the operator could need to enter such a panel. There are no live parts which are exposed even with the panel door open. Is this not an issue we can adress via training and risk assessment?
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Posted By Diane Thomason
Jason,
Have had a similar situation in the past. We wrote a safe working procedure for this specific job (opening the panel and resetting) - step by step so it's very clear what the operator can and can't do. That way, there was little danger of everyone thinking they can open panels all over the place.
We also restricted this practice to named persons and signed them off as trained to do it.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Jason
Even electrical work does not always require such as full 16th edition competence, witness the factory manufacture of electrical equipment - even the testers are trained individuals for the specific role they are undertaking. Any person can be trained to undertake specific tasks such as you envisage and be internally certified, bearing in mind the simple word training is full of meaning in itself. It is about setting the limits and ensuring the techniques are followed.
Bob
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Posted By Jason Hough
Could I be so cheeky as to ask to see a copy of your procedure if possible. It sounds like the lines I had planned to go down to cover this issue. It would give me a basis to work from , I want to make sure I cover all angles.
If you could E-mail me maintenance@macreadys.niag.com I would be most greatful:-)
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Posted By S.Alder
Have had a similar situation in the past and found the easiest way around it was to remote the trip to the front of the panel. Eliminates the need for access altogether and there is less chance of a panel being left accidently open. Go for the easy option first.
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Posted By Glyn Atkinson
The cause of the tripping out of any electrical machine should be fully investigated by competent electrical engineers prior to installation of any safety bypass devices.
If a competently completed PUWER assessment shows that a remotely wired front of panel electrical reset is safe, acceptable and feasible for this operation, also consider the possibility of making the reset mechanism operated only with control of a key with the senior night shift manager, so that the reset is done under controlled conditions.
Also ensure that the machine log is filled in for each occasion that the reset requires to be done each shift, thus indicating an ongoing blockage or feed problem to day maintenance staff to monitor and progress.
It may be that overload relays in the electrical system could overheat due to this reset action, or there may be the need to install a timer device to prevent immediate return of power to prevent further overheating or malfunction of electrical equipment.
A competent electrical engineer would be able to design and fit this type of feature into the machine so that entry through open panels is not necessary.
Look at root cause of machine failure before settling for quick fix to allow production - it only takes one accident !!
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