How To Work Safe In The SwitchYards in a Substation.

[Jasz]

The switchyard can be found in an Electrical Substation, and is full of different types of machinery (mostly Electrical or Electromechanical equipment), so it's important that you know how to work safely in this environment. Working in a switchyard can be safe when following certain guidelines.

Here are some tips for staying safe in the switchyard:

• First off, get an approved work permit before carrying out any activities in the Switchyard.
• You'll need to make sure that you are wearing the proper PPE. This includes steel-toed boots, hard hat, vest, and gloves.
• Once you are properly attired, make sure to check that your equipment is properly inspected and maintained. A malfunctioning piece of equipment can put you and others in serious danger.
• Place proper tags in the control room or where needed to indicate men at work or related notice. This is important so nobody turns on or switches a supposed isolated equipment.
• Properly ground any of the equipment before working on them. This is very important because you are dealing with very high voltage within 33kv - 330kv.
• Be aware of the dangers of working near large, heavy machinery and high-voltage equipment. Stay alert to avoid injury.
• Keep your hearing protection and protective clothing on at all times; don't take these off until you're safely out of the switchyard.
• Don't 'horseplay' or do anything else that could distract you from getting your work done in a safe manner.
• Make sure that if anything happens while you're working in the switchyard—any sort of accident or injury—you report it to your supervisor immediately so they can address it quickly and make the area safe again.

• Lastly, make sure that there is always someone else present while you are working in the yard. You never know what could happen.