IN SERVICE SAFETY TESTING AND INSPECTION OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT– OUR EXPERIENCE By Charles Stace, Sue Briggs, Lynda Kutek

IN SERVICE SAFETY TESTING IN SERVICE SAFETY TESTING AND INSPECTION OF AND INSPECTION OF

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT– ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT– OUR EXPERIENCEOUR EXPERIENCE

By Charles Stace, Sue Briggs, By Charles Stace, Sue Briggs, Lynda KutekLynda Kutek

AGENDAAGENDA Outline Outline processprocess undergone to carry out legal undergone to carry out legal

obligations regarding in service safety obligations regarding in service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.inspection and testing of electrical equipment.

The The systemsystem we have developed. we have developed. Some of the problems we have encountered. Some of the problems we have encountered. Solutions.Solutions. I’m not the expert!I’m not the expert! Mr Charles Stace responsible for developing Mr Charles Stace responsible for developing

the system.the system.

WHO WE AREWHO WE ARE School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences,

University of South Australia.University of South Australia.

Undergraduate and Post Graduate teaching Undergraduate and Post Graduate teaching laboratories and classrooms as well as laboratories and classrooms as well as Research laboratories, Administration and Research laboratories, Administration and Support areas.Support areas.

Spread across 5 buildings located at three Spread across 5 buildings located at three different campuses.different campuses.

110 staff composed of Academic, Research, 110 staff composed of Academic, Research, Technical and Administration personnel.Technical and Administration personnel.

OUR PROBLEMOUR PROBLEM Need to comply with OH&S legislation Need to comply with OH&S legislation

which refers to AS/NZ standard 3760-which refers to AS/NZ standard 3760-2001 - In service Safety Inspection 2001 - In service Safety Inspection and Testing of Electrical equipment.and Testing of Electrical equipment.

This states in its forward; This states in its forward; “equipment….. needs to be subjected “equipment….. needs to be subjected to routine inspection and testing to to routine inspection and testing to detect obvious damage, wear or detect obvious damage, wear or other condition which might render it other condition which might render it unsafe”.unsafe”.

OUR PROBLEMOUR PROBLEM

School has approximately 4000 School has approximately 4000 pieces of electrical equipment, much pieces of electrical equipment, much of it moveable laboratory equipment of it moveable laboratory equipment which needs to be tested annually, which needs to be tested annually, spread across 3 campuses.spread across 3 campuses.

Tightly squeezed monetary and Tightly squeezed monetary and staffing resources.staffing resources.

PROBLEM SOLVINGPROBLEM SOLVINGInitiallyInitially At City East, most of At City East, most of

testing carried out by our testing carried out by our in house Workshop in house Workshop Manager. Manager.

2 lab assistants do data 2 lab assistants do data entry.entry.

At Mawson Lakes Testing At Mawson Lakes Testing carried out by 7 Technical carried out by 7 Technical officers in their individual officers in their individual areas.areas.

PROBLEM SOLVING (cont)PROBLEM SOLVING (cont)ProblemsProblems Slow and laborious work. Slow and laborious work.

At City East Campus, “Superman“ was At City East Campus, “Superman“ was stretched too far! Too much work for 1 stretched too far! Too much work for 1 person.person.

PROBLEM SOLVING (cont)PROBLEM SOLVING (cont)

ProblemsProblems Technicians at Mawson Lakes not Technicians at Mawson Lakes not

properly certified. properly certified.

Records for each campus kept Records for each campus kept separately. No uniformity. Data separately. No uniformity. Data entry system was slow and unwieldy.entry system was slow and unwieldy.

Progress to SolutionProgress to Solution

Cost to outsource testing was researched:Cost to outsource testing was researched: The company with the preferred option The company with the preferred option

used a data system that would enable us used a data system that would enable us to have direct access to our records.to have direct access to our records.

Their proposed charge was $4.00 per item Their proposed charge was $4.00 per item which meant an initial outlay of $16,000 which meant an initial outlay of $16,000 and an annual outlay on average of and an annual outlay on average of $8,000.$8,000.

Option was dismissed due to excessive Option was dismissed due to excessive cost.cost.

Progress to Solution (cont)Progress to Solution (cont) Technicians from across the school Technicians from across the school

attended an in-house 1 day attended an in-house 1 day workshop conducted by Regency workshop conducted by Regency College of TAFE, titled “In Service College of TAFE, titled “In Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment”.Equipment”.

Cost was $100 per person. Outlay of Cost was $100 per person. Outlay of

$1000. Considerably cheaper than $1000. Considerably cheaper than outsourcing.outsourcing.

Progress to Solution (cont)Progress to Solution (cont)

Now 14 Technicians deemed to be Now 14 Technicians deemed to be ”competent persons “ as defined by the ”competent persons “ as defined by the legislation. Workload could be more legislation. Workload could be more evenly spread across the school. evenly spread across the school.

Our workshop manager centralised, Our workshop manager centralised, further developed and refined the further developed and refined the recording systemrecording system. .

WHAT HAPPENS NOWWHAT HAPPENS NOW

New EquipmentNew Equipment

New equipment arrives & goes, via New equipment arrives & goes, via purchasing officer, to the Workshop purchasing officer, to the Workshop Manager.Manager.

Equipment is tested, data is entered Equipment is tested, data is entered into the information system & into the information system & equipment is tagged. equipment is tagged.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW (cont)WHAT HAPPENS NOW (cont)Existing equipmentExisting equipment Is tested and tagged at a frequency required by Is tested and tagged at a frequency required by

law e.g. 3mths, 6mths, 1year, 5years.law e.g. 3mths, 6mths, 1year, 5years.

Testing is conducted by laboratory technicians Testing is conducted by laboratory technicians with certification for electrical testing, and by with certification for electrical testing, and by the workshop manager.the workshop manager.

Technicians conduct testing in their own work Technicians conduct testing in their own work areas, which covers most of the teaching and areas, which covers most of the teaching and preparation laboratories and some research preparation laboratories and some research areas.areas.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW (cont)WHAT HAPPENS NOW (cont)

The advantage of this is that they are The advantage of this is that they are familiar with the location and working familiar with the location and working condition of equipment.condition of equipment.

Equipment that fails, is complicated or needs Equipment that fails, is complicated or needs repair is referred to the workshop manager.repair is referred to the workshop manager.

Workshop manager tests equipment not Workshop manager tests equipment not covered by technicians eg common areas, covered by technicians eg common areas, non-laboratory areas and some research non-laboratory areas and some research labs.labs.

Testing procedure – In detail Testing procedure – In detail Testing equipment Testing equipment

used is the Trio used is the Trio Electrix Safe T Electrix Safe T Check, model MKD.Check, model MKD.

Is an Australian Is an Australian made, mains made, mains powered insulation powered insulation resistance tester.resistance tester.

Is simple to use.Is simple to use.

Testing procedure – In detail Testing procedure – In detail Just gives PASS or Just gives PASS or

FAIL response.FAIL response.

Is suitable to be Is suitable to be used by people with used by people with no testing no testing background. background.

Also has an inbuilt Also has an inbuilt facility for testing facility for testing extension cords. extension cords.

Testing procedure – In detail (cont)Testing procedure – In detail (cont)

Work in pairs or singly. Working in Work in pairs or singly. Working in pairs is more efficient and breaks the pairs is more efficient and breaks the monotony.monotony.

Do one room at a time.Do one room at a time.

All equipment is first taken out of All equipment is first taken out of cupboards. cupboards.


Then each piece of equipment is Then each piece of equipment is tested and visually inspected.tested and visually inspected.

If it passes, tag is signed and If it passes, tag is signed and

attached. attached.



This information is then transferred This information is then transferred to a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet to a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet which contains all relevant data for which contains all relevant data for each item of equipment.each item of equipment.







Before the testing process begins the Before the testing process begins the new sequentially new sequentially pre-numbered pre-numbered tags tags are filled in with are filled in with Plant Plant NumbersNumbers set out in the previous set out in the previous year’s spreadsheet. year’s spreadsheet.



The number of the initial tag is hand The number of the initial tag is hand written against the first item in the written against the first item in the relevant plant list of that relevant plant list of that department.department.

The accuracy of sequence of tag The accuracy of sequence of tag allocation is confirmed every 10 allocation is confirmed every 10 entries. entries.



As each item of equipment is As each item of equipment is testedtested, , a mark is placed against that item on a mark is placed against that item on the printout. Tag is signed and the printout. Tag is signed and attached to that item of equipment. attached to that item of equipment. Printout is further marked to show Printout is further marked to show that that taggingtagging of that item is of that item is complete.complete.


Usually conducted in teams of two. One Usually conducted in teams of two. One tests then puts a line through the old tag, tests then puts a line through the old tag, the other tags and records.the other tags and records.

However tagging and recording can be However tagging and recording can be done shortly after the testing and not done shortly after the testing and not necessarily be performed by qualified necessarily be performed by qualified staff. Allows for flexibility of staff time staff. Allows for flexibility of staff time allocation.allocation.


Data entry can be completed easily and Data entry can be completed easily and quickly on the Excel system by quickly on the Excel system by Administration staff at a later dateAdministration staff at a later date

This avoids the awkwardness of using a This avoids the awkwardness of using a computer on site and the slow process of computer on site and the slow process of recording each item as it is tested.recording each item as it is tested.


Recording system is simple to use. Is Recording system is simple to use. Is accessible at any time for updating, for accessible at any time for updating, for checking progress of testing schedule, checking progress of testing schedule, and for locating a particular piece of and for locating a particular piece of equipment.equipment.

UNSOLVED / ONGOING UNSOLVED / ONGOING PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Workload issues for Workshop Workload issues for Workshop manager and many of the manager and many of the technicians.technicians.

Some areas not covered by Some areas not covered by Technicians neglected / overlooked.Technicians neglected / overlooked.

UNSOLVED / ONGOING UNSOLVED / ONGOING PROBLEMS (cont)PROBLEMS (cont)

The recording system is subject to human The recording system is subject to human error. The listing of tag numbers in error. The listing of tag numbers in sequential order next to the plant numbers sequential order next to the plant numbers sometimes goes awry e.g. sometimes goes awry e.g. • When a piece of equipment has been added When a piece of equipment has been added

into or has been deleted from the spreadsheet into or has been deleted from the spreadsheet incorrectly and the plant number sequence is incorrectly and the plant number sequence is disrupted.disrupted.

• When an incorrect plant number has been When an incorrect plant number has been written on the tag. The ensuing necessary written on the tag. The ensuing necessary cross checking causes time delays.cross checking causes time delays.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?WHERE TO FROM HERE?

Propose to train remaining 6 technicians to Propose to train remaining 6 technicians to spread load even further. Possibly become spread load even further. Possibly become organised into groups that were organised into groups that were responsible for whole floors so that no responsible for whole floors so that no areas were overlooked.areas were overlooked.

Possibly outsource testing of most Possibly outsource testing of most pressing overlooked areas. School has pressing overlooked areas. School has limited scope to do this as cost is $4.00 limited scope to do this as cost is $4.00 per item, estimated 800 items per item, estimated 800 items outstanding. ($3,200)outstanding. ($3,200)

WHERE TO FROM HERE? (cont)WHERE TO FROM HERE? (cont)

Possibly change software to Microsoft Possibly change software to Microsoft Inspect.Inspect.

Would allow both school and outside Would allow both school and outside contractor access to records.contractor access to records.

Can record a risk assessment & Can record a risk assessment &

determine what and when testing is determine what and when testing is required (further cost of $495).required (further cost of $495).

WHERE TO FROM HERE? (cont)WHERE TO FROM HERE? (cont) Bar code reader.Bar code reader.

At this stage school has decided against using this method.At this stage school has decided against using this method.

(a) Because cost is prohibitive. Would need one per campus (a) Because cost is prohibitive. Would need one per campus and cost $2000 each.and cost $2000 each.

(b) Would lose some of the advantages of present recording (b) Would lose some of the advantages of present recording system i.e. ability to correctly locate or relocate items by system i.e. ability to correctly locate or relocate items by reading tag or accessing data.reading tag or accessing data.

(c) Would lose flexibility of staff allocation as only one staff (c) Would lose flexibility of staff allocation as only one staff member at a time would be involved n the process, member at a time would be involved n the process, resulting in peak demand for equipment when staff are resulting in peak demand for equipment when staff are traditionally free to do testing e.g. semester breaks.traditionally free to do testing e.g. semester breaks.

May be considered in the future.May be considered in the future.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Comments?Comments?

Suggestions?Suggestions?

Share ideas to take back and further Share ideas to take back and further improve processimprove process

Documents

IN SERVICE SAFETY TESTING AND INSPECTION OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT– OUR EXPERIENCE By Charles Stace, Sue Briggs, Lynda Kutek