The circus came to town.

**Stilgar** · 20th January 2010, 18:56

As some of you know I am an electrician at a major chemical plant. Today some people from corporate headquarters came in to see our electrical safety standard in action. AKA have electricians suite up in flash suites, hot gloves, and hood and do some work while watching. I'm not really going into that part way too long to explain out. But I am going in to the prep work for the grand ones arrival.

First rule do not waste their time. So prepared statements by first line and second line supervisors. x time allotted for each. Time how much time it takes to do this and that electrically. Have the full hour we have in the presence of greatness impressive.

Next don't make an a** of yourself and mess up on the rules for doing this job. (Really did not matter since no matter what you do they will and did find something wrong.)

Remember even the smallest thing can turn their perception. This is where it gets good. Pre-drive and plan a route through the plant. Make sure the route does not have too many bad spots in the road. No I am not kidding. I guess they have sensitive bottoms. Next as they are driving through route make sure the route looks good. Get painters to paint equipment along the route so it looks shiny and new. Next when they make it to the shop make sure everything is spotless. Oh and they might go to the bathroom while they are here. Check it out. Oh no, A light is out quick fix it. Also the hand soap dispensers. One has not worked for a year. The other you have to beat on it to get soap out. Quick 3 new soap dispensers put up.

I am just surprised they didn't put out fuzzy mink toilet seat covers for their delicate rear ends.

Like I said this was really a short version which did not include the stuff for the actual "demonstration".

**MikeTimbers** · 21st January 2010, 02:35

And then all requests for finance are refused "because all your stuff is new".

**Stilgar** · 23rd January 2010, 00:56

They do it a lot. One time toward the end of a year they shut down all except absolutely vital work on a unit. Then they started painting it all. Upper management was coming.

**theresa** · 26th January 2010, 18:13

Sounds like my place. I am now the only central electrician on site, I was always a floor electrician (I fixed broke machines) so I'm not familiar in all the duties that go with my new position. Last week they were having a tour of the empty complex by some big wigs and I had to turn off all the outside lights that were staying on during the day so it would look like we weren't wasting money. Boy did I have fun going thru all the empty dark buildings trying to find the circuit breakers that these lights were on.

**Stilgar** · 26th January 2010, 21:06

I forgot there's another electrician in the house.

You might appreciate this. Taking an amp check at an MCC. First get permit, energy isolation card, sign in and fill out JHA (Job hazard analysis ) Next get process to lock out. Put your lock on it. Put on 100 calorie flash suite and hood. Hot gloves next. Open MCC cubicle, using a non-contact tester check that its de-energized. Now use a tester or another live circuit to test your meter. Use meter to confirm de-energized again. Open up cable trough next to cubicle. Clamp on ampmeter and turn on meter. Next remove your lock, sign off of energy isolation card, and have process remove theirs. Have process start motor. Check amperage. Now get process to lock out again. Put your lock on and go through the verifying de-energized process again. Now if they want to check all three phases and you don't have three ampmeters you may have to repeat a few more times. Last steps of course turn back over to process and turn in cards. Turn JHA in to supervisor and I think that was all.

**MikeTimbers** · 27th January 2010, 01:10

Sounds like fun. What's the problem?

**Stilgar** · 27th January 2010, 01:53

The way we used to do it.

Call process by radio tell them we are in the area and what we are doing. Put on face shield and hot gloves open wire trough and take reading. Close up finished. About 4 minutes.

I forgot below, put in ear plugs.

**Stilgar** · 27th January 2010, 20:36

New day, new rule. Not kidding walk in this morning and now we have another paper to fill out. If we do anything with a voltage between 50 and 150 we have to fill out a paper and sign it. Stating why it has to be done energized. Anything over 150 volts requires a First and Second line Supervisor's signature also. Well, when the PM (Preventive Maintenance job) says what to check what voltage is there. I would suppose it means it. I have yet to figure out how you can check voltage on a battery system (135 volts dc) and have it turned off. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of a UPS system. (Uninteruptable Power Supply.) if you turn it off.

Next sticking point. You have to test your meter on a known power source before and after you use to confirm something is de-energized and your meter is in working condition. Now we do have little testers which put out about 300 volts which are powered by a 9 volt battery. Also a tester which puts out about 3000 volts to test our phasing/hot sticks. If we use either of those we have to fill out and sign the same form plus we have to get our First and Second line supervisor to sign.

**Stilgar** · 27th January 2010, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTimbers

Sounds like fun. What's the problem?

Almost forgot. Its not bad putting on a flash suite during winter months. Nice and snuggie warm. But think about putting on something that could be worn in sub freezing weather and keep you warm. Then put it on during the summer and around 100 degrees f.

**theresa** · 27th January 2010, 22:43

I have to plead the fifth here about safty.

**TDKozan** · 28th January 2010, 23:12

Thanks for reminding me why I quit Hauser two decades ago!

**Stilgar** · 29th January 2010, 12:22

If some one plugs into a 120 volt receptacle with a cord rated at 300 volts its okay. If I plug in my meter rated at 1000 volts I have to fill out a form. People talk about how the government wastes money probably has not worked for a large company.

BTW I'm bullet proof. (Dragging a little from the gun thread.) I can say h*** with it and give me my retirement papers at any time. Kind of helps my sanity some. But my bosses will say it does not help my attitude.

**Stilgar** · 2nd February 2010, 21:49

Well, we had the quarterly electrical safety meeting today. Looks like I'm not the only electrician aggravated and don't understand the changes. Management got up to explain how this is so much better and safer then before. And they don't expect any kind of productivity hit, since it really is not that much. They decided there could be some exceptions to the rules such as "proof testers" the equipment we use to check the operation of our meters with. We don't have to fill out the paper if we test our meter with approved "proof testers". Only a slight drawback. When I asked what are the approved testers I find out there is no list of approved "proof testers" . So there is no exception.

Not going in to the rest much. Except there are some jobs through out the plant which are in progress which are going to be shut down until clarification or individual approvals are made. I'm just glad its not going to effect productivity.

**theresa** · 9th February 2010, 15:55

They have been coming down on safty more here, they got into trouble for not having enough locks on a lock out. There were 3 guys looking in a panel and just one lock on the machine. My one boss said why do you need the power on to troubleshoot an electrical problem

beats me, can't figure out whats wrong unless you see the problem in action sometimes.

**Stilgar** · 9th February 2010, 17:07

Yep, same here. We get a work order that says it does not work. Does not work covers a lot of stuff.

20th January 2010, 18:56	#1
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	The circus came to town. As some of you know I am an electrician at a major chemical plant. Today some people from corporate headquarters came in to see our electrical safety standard in action. AKA have electricians suite up in flash suites, hot gloves, and hood and do some work while watching. I'm not really going into that part way too long to explain out. But I am going in to the prep work for the grand ones arrival. First rule do not waste their time. So prepared statements by first line and second line supervisors. x time allotted for each. Time how much time it takes to do this and that electrically. Have the full hour we have in the presence of greatness impressive. Next don't make an a** of yourself and mess up on the rules for doing this job. (Really did not matter since no matter what you do they will and did find something wrong.) Remember even the smallest thing can turn their perception. This is where it gets good. Pre-drive and plan a route through the plant. Make sure the route does not have too many bad spots in the road. No I am not kidding. I guess they have sensitive bottoms. Next as they are driving through route make sure the route looks good. Get painters to paint equipment along the route so it looks shiny and new. Next when they make it to the shop make sure everything is spotless. Oh and they might go to the bathroom while they are here. Check it out. Oh no, A light is out quick fix it. Also the hand soap dispensers. One has not worked for a year. The other you have to beat on it to get soap out. Quick 3 new soap dispensers put up. I am just surprised they didn't put out fuzzy mink toilet seat covers for their delicate rear ends. Like I said this was really a short version which did not include the stuff for the actual "demonstration". __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

21st January 2010, 02:35	#2
MikeTimbers Messy Yoghurt Eater Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: London Posts: 4,344	And then all requests for finance are refused "because all your stuff is new". __________________ "There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know."

23rd January 2010, 00:56	#3
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	They do it a lot. One time toward the end of a year they shut down all except absolutely vital work on a unit. Then they started painting it all. Upper management was coming. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

26th January 2010, 18:13	#4
theresa Genome Princess Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,079	Sounds like my place. I am now the only central electrician on site, I was always a floor electrician (I fixed broke machines) so I'm not familiar in all the duties that go with my new position. Last week they were having a tour of the empty complex by some big wigs and I had to turn off all the outside lights that were staying on during the day so it would look like we weren't wasting money. Boy did I have fun going thru all the empty dark buildings trying to find the circuit breakers that these lights were on. __________________ Life is a bed of roses

26th January 2010, 21:06	#5
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	I forgot there's another electrician in the house. You might appreciate this. Taking an amp check at an MCC. First get permit, energy isolation card, sign in and fill out JHA (Job hazard analysis ) Next get process to lock out. Put your lock on it. Put on 100 calorie flash suite and hood. Hot gloves next. Open MCC cubicle, using a non-contact tester check that its de-energized. Now use a tester or another live circuit to test your meter. Use meter to confirm de-energized again. Open up cable trough next to cubicle. Clamp on ampmeter and turn on meter. Next remove your lock, sign off of energy isolation card, and have process remove theirs. Have process start motor. Check amperage. Now get process to lock out again. Put your lock on and go through the verifying de-energized process again. Now if they want to check all three phases and you don't have three ampmeters you may have to repeat a few more times. Last steps of course turn back over to process and turn in cards. Turn JHA in to supervisor and I think that was all. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

27th January 2010, 01:10	#6
MikeTimbers Messy Yoghurt Eater Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: London Posts: 4,344	Sounds like fun. What's the problem? __________________ "There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know."

27th January 2010, 01:53	#7
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	The way we used to do it. Call process by radio tell them we are in the area and what we are doing. Put on face shield and hot gloves open wire trough and take reading. Close up finished. About 4 minutes. I forgot below, put in ear plugs. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

27th January 2010, 20:36	#8
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	New day, new rule. Not kidding walk in this morning and now we have another paper to fill out. If we do anything with a voltage between 50 and 150 we have to fill out a paper and sign it. Stating why it has to be done energized. Anything over 150 volts requires a First and Second line Supervisor's signature also. Well, when the PM (Preventive Maintenance job) says what to check what voltage is there. I would suppose it means it. I have yet to figure out how you can check voltage on a battery system (135 volts dc) and have it turned off. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of a UPS system. (Uninteruptable Power Supply.) if you turn it off. Next sticking point. You have to test your meter on a known power source before and after you use to confirm something is de-energized and your meter is in working condition. Now we do have little testers which put out about 300 volts which are powered by a 9 volt battery. Also a tester which puts out about 3000 volts to test our phasing/hot sticks. If we use either of those we have to fill out and sign the same form plus we have to get our First and Second line supervisor to sign. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

27th January 2010, 22:43	#10
theresa Genome Princess Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,079	I have to plead the fifth here about safty. __________________ Life is a bed of roses

28th January 2010, 23:12	#11
TDKozan Immoderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: No. CO Posts: 3,276	Thanks for reminding me why I quit Hauser two decades ago!

29th January 2010, 12:22	#12
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	If some one plugs into a 120 volt receptacle with a cord rated at 300 volts its okay. If I plug in my meter rated at 1000 volts I have to fill out a form. People talk about how the government wastes money probably has not worked for a large company. BTW I'm bullet proof. (Dragging a little from the gun thread.) I can say h*** with it and give me my retirement papers at any time. Kind of helps my sanity some. But my bosses will say it does not help my attitude. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

2nd February 2010, 21:49	#13
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	Well, we had the quarterly electrical safety meeting today. Looks like I'm not the only electrician aggravated and don't understand the changes. Management got up to explain how this is so much better and safer then before. And they don't expect any kind of productivity hit, since it really is not that much. They decided there could be some exceptions to the rules such as "proof testers" the equipment we use to check the operation of our meters with. We don't have to fill out the paper if we test our meter with approved "proof testers". Only a slight drawback. When I asked what are the approved testers I find out there is no list of approved "proof testers" . So there is no exception. Not going in to the rest much. Except there are some jobs through out the plant which are in progress which are going to be shut down until clarification or individual approvals are made. I'm just glad its not going to effect productivity. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

9th February 2010, 15:55	#14
theresa Genome Princess Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,079	They have been coming down on safty more here, they got into trouble for not having enough locks on a lock out. There were 3 guys looking in a panel and just one lock on the machine. My one boss said why do you need the power on to troubleshoot an electrical problem beats me, can't figure out whats wrong unless you see the problem in action sometimes. __________________ Life is a bed of roses

9th February 2010, 17:07	#15
Stilgar Left Wing Nut Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 2,764	Yep, same here. We get a work order that says it does not work. Does not work covers a lot of stuff. __________________ Stilgar \|"""\-= (____) I'm moving on. Next question.

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