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 108,000 km. of power lines
• 460,000 customers
• 1,000 employees

Service Area
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How it works
The major steps in Generation, Transmission, and
Distribution of Electricity

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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 395 times in 2008?

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Overhead Contacts on FortisAlberta Lines in 2008

• 395 Contacts in Total
• Construction Industry 246 contacts
• Equipment involved in overhead line contacts
• Gravel Trucks 50
• Track Hoe - 42
• Crane Trucks 13
• Hauling/Delivery Trucks - 13

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Underground Contacts on FortisAlberta Lines in
2008

• 395 Contacts in Total
• Construction Industry 246 contacts
• Equipment involved in underground contacts
• Back Hoe 36
• Power Auger - 7
• Track Hoe - 5
• Directional Drill 5

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Even People Contacted the Lines
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Planning to work safely

• Wheres the line?
• 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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Moving Equipment or Buildings

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

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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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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 for 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 that
  includes the location of the power lines