Electricity

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Electricity
Electrical incidents can be avoided!
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About FortisAlberta

• Distribution poles and wires
• 900,000 poles in service
• Operate and maintain 107,000 km. of power lines
• 448,100 customers
• 1108 employees

Service Area
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JUST keeping Albertans safe
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Public Contacts

• Did you know that in Alberta, FortisAlberta power
  lines were struck 350 times in 2007?

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Public Incidents 2007 by Sector
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What Contacted the lines?

• Gravel trucks
• Delivery trucks, crane trucks
• Farm equipment
• Track hoes
• Brushing (chainsaws, etc.)
• Caterpillars
• Service rig s
• Back hoes
• Helicopter

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Commercial Equipment

• Gravel Truck 49 contacts
• Delivery Truck/High Loads 26 contacts
• Crane Trucks - 13

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Even People Contacted the Lines
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Planning to work safely

• What are you doing
• How are you dealing with the hazards?
• What skills do people have
• What do you do if something goes wrong?

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Safe limit of approach

• 7 meters if you dont know the voltage

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Working near power lines
25 kV 3 metres Secondaries 0 750 V 300 mm
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Safe Limit of approach
Distances from Overhead Power Lines for Persons
and Equipment
Operating voltage of overhead power line between
conductors 0 to 750 Volts insulated or
polyethylene covered conductors (1) Above 750
Volts insulated conductors (1)(2) 0 to 40 kV 69
kV, 72 kV 138 kV, 144 kV 230 kV, 260kV 500 kV
Safe limit of approach distance for persons and
equipment 300 millimetres 1.0 metres 3.0
metres 3.5 metres 4.0 metres 5.0 metres 7.0
metres
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How it works
The major steps in Generation, Transmission, and
Distribution of Electricity

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Moving High Loads

• Alberta Traffic Act - anything over 5.3 m must
  have a permit and notify utility companies

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Moving Equipment or Buildings

• 3.6 m for pedestrian areas
• 4.1 m for driveways
• 4.2 m for agricultural areas
• 4.8 m for alleys, commercial premises
• 5.3 m for roads
• 5.4 m underground pipelines

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Understand
Contact
Consequence!
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Shock Characteristics
Fibrillation
50 mA
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What can Happen
Less than one milliamp No sensation One to eight
milliamps Feel sensation of shock, though not
painful Eight to 15 milliamps Painful shock 15 to
20 milliamps Painful shock, loss of muscle
control 20 to 50 milliamps Severe muscle
contractions 50 to 100 milliamps Heart failure
is possible 100 to 200 milliamps Heart failure is
possible Over 200 milliamps Severe burns and
heart failure
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Step Potential
Step potential
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Vehicle Accident

• If your vehicle contacts an overhead line
• Drive clear of the line
• Stay on or inside the vehicle

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Vehicle Accident

• If you must get out because of FIRE
• Jump clear with both feet together
• Dont touch your vehicle and the ground at the
  same time
• Hop away from vehicle at least 10 metres

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Excavation

• Procedures near underground Power Cables
• Notify Alberta First Call
• Receive instructions from the Power Authority
• No power digging within one metre of power cable
  without permission

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What will you do to keep yourself safe around
power lines?

• Three important promises Ill take away for
  myself today
• Stay at least 7 meters away from power lines
• Get to know the height of my equipment
• Always make a safe work plan for myself