Bob is partially correct. It is PART of the utility worker's job to wear
personal protective equipment, to test for potential and to install
grounds.
The first step is to remove all sources of supply and prevent these from
being reenergize. We, who work in the industry prevent re-energization by
installing locks on switches once they have been opened and by tagging the
switches for our safety.
This is covered by the electrical safety regulations which govern how
utility employees practice safety (ECUSR in Canada).
The rules which govern how things are done on the premisis of the consumer,
(NEC in the U.S. and CEC in Canada), contain the requirement for the
transfer switch for several reasons, one of which is to assure that the
sources of supply over which the utility workers have no control cannot be
re-energized.
As a supervisor of electrical utility workers, I enforce the safety rules
which my crew must follow. They are competent men, but everyone makes a
mistake. If your electrical worker happens to make his when you have made
yours, by having your generator installed in an unsafe manner, the two
can (and have) combine(ed) to spell injury or death.
This is why the locks and tags are required at our sources of supply, and
this is one of the reasons for the transfer switch.
I hope that Bobs comments were not inferring that we should consider the
transfer switch unimportant because our utility workers are responsible for
their own safety.
Accidents happen when people make mistakes. The chances for these mistakes
increase when men are working long hours, restoring power. That just
happens to be when we need generators for our radio gear.
Yes, the utility workers are responsible for their own safety, but we who
use generators have requirements which contribute to their safety as well.
J., VY1JA
jallen@polarcom.com
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