Section 16 in Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Code
16. Safety Aspects.
(1)Provisions with respect to safety and electricity supply is dealt in detail under section 53 of the Electricity Act, which reads as:The Authority may in consultation with the State Government, specify suitable measures for:(a)Protecting the public (including the persons engaged in the generation, transmission or distribution or trading) from dangers arising from the generation, transmission or distribution or trading of electricity, or use of electricity supplied or installation, maintenance or use of any electric line or electrical plant;(b)Eliminating or reducing the risks of personal injury to any person, or damage to property of any person or interference with use of such property;(c)Prohibiting the supply or transmission of electricity except by means of a system which conforms to the specification as may be specified;(d)Giving notice in the specified form to the Appropriate Commission and the Electrical Inspector, of accidents and failures of supplies or transmissions of electricity;(e)Keeping by a generating company or licensee the maps, plans and sections relating to supply or transmission of electricity;(f)Inspection of maps, plans and sections by any person authorized by it or by Electrical Inspector or by any person on payment of specified fee;(g)Specifying action to be taken in relation to any electric line or electrical plant, or any electrical appliance under the control of a consumer for the purpose of eliminating or reducing a risk of personal injury or damage to property or interference with its use;"(2)The measures specified by the Authority, in accordance with the above provision shall form the basis for safety. Primary focus should be laid on safety in all the works related to the location, erection, installation, operation and maintenance of the equipments, devices and other network components at the consumer's mains/premises. Safety of the end users, operating personnel and public shall be given focused attention. Adequate training will be imparted to the operating personnel with the adoption of relevant operating techniques and safety procedures/ precautions necessary for satisfactory operation of the system and its equipments which include cross boundary connections and interface points as applicable.(3)Safety co-ordination: The salient aspects involved in safety co-ordination are:(a)The Licensee and the consumers of the distribution system shall observe safety rules, practices and precautions when work is to be carried out on any apparatus or circuits in any part of the distribution system or in any part of the consumer system.(b)The objective of this safety co-ordination is to enforce the principles of safety as prescribed in the measures specified under section 53 of the Act and practices for their implementation.(c)[There shall be proper co-ordination between operating personnel of the Licensee and the consumers, between two distribution licensees across common control boundaries, for carrying out work on any apparatus, switchgear, or circuits belonging to each party at the point of interconnection or interface] [Substituted as per Commission's Notification No. TNERC/DC/8-8 dated 8.2.2008, w.e.f. 27.2.2008.].(d)The Licensee shall follow the provisions of the TNEGC for cross boundary operations in co-ordination with the STU(e)The Licensee, all consumers and any other distribution Licensee having common electrical interface with the Licensee shall designate suitable persons to be responsible for safety co-ordination. These persons shall be referred to as control persons. The list of control persons, their designation and telephone numbers shall be exchanged between all [persons concerned] [Substituted for the expression 'concerned persons' as per Commission's Notification No. TNERC/DC/8-8 dated 8.2.2008 (w.e.f. 27.2.2008).]. Any change in the list shall be notified promptly to all concerned.(f)The disconnecting device / or devices shall be provided at each electrical interface, which shall be capable of effectively disconnecting the system of the Licensee and other consumers and grounding the respective system at the common boundary. These devices shall be identified and marked by the Licensee and respective consumer and shall be maintained in good condition at all times. Such disconnecting devices shall be provided with interlocks to prevent inadvertent switching operations by unauthorized persons.(g)Permission in writing shall be issued by the appropriate control person at the electrical interface to his/her counterpart responsible for carrying out work on any apparatus, switchgear or circuits beyond the electrical interface. Such permissions shall be termed as Line Clear Permits (LCP). The format of the LCP shall be standardized by the Licensee and shall be used by all concerned. Detailed rules framed by the Licensee pertaining to such works and Line Clear Permits (LCPs) shall be circulated to its personnel as part of its internal administration.(h)A list containing the names and other details of the Officers/staff who are authorized to issue / get LCPs on the apparatus, lines and cables may be [displayed] [Substituted for the expression 'hung' as per Commission's Notification No. TNERC/DC/8-8 dated 8.2.2008 (w.e.f 27.2.2008)] at an apt location in the substation.(i)The Licensee shall formulate a checklist of operations to be carried out before the issue and return of LCPs and procedures for safety co-ordination for each electrical interface. Such procedures and checklist shall be issued to all concerned, by the Licensee, for implementation.(j)The Licensee shall prepare a safety manual incorporating all operating procedures in addition to safety rules and safety precautions applicable to its distribution system and the Consumer's system and circulate the same among [all staff concerned] [Substituted for the expression all concerned staff as per Commission's Notification No. TNERC/DC/8-8 dated 8.2.2008 (w.e.f. 27.2.2008)] and Consumers for strict adherence.(k)The Licensee shall devise and maintain uniform operating procedure for switching, isolation, and restoration, live line working and test charge of defective lines/apparatus duly incorporating the safety aspects.
