Dominion Virginia Power System Protection Human Performance Work Zone Kit Mike Carden * 804-257-4738 *Used with permission for WECC purposes.

Dominion Virginia Power System Protection

Human Performance Work Zone KitMike Carden*

804-257-4738

*Used with permission for WECC purposes

Overview

o Responsible for construction, commissioning and maintenance of relay protection,

metering and data acquisition for Transmission - Distribution Substations (800) and

Generation (37) facilities.

o Dominion has 120 System Protection Technicians positioned in 3 states. Typically a

2 year technical degree, electricity/electronics or instrumentation.

o 50% of our technician work force has < 3 years experience. We have also doubled the

number of “contract” electricians working our system (2008-2011).

o Our Human Performance Program and Training is focused on eliminating the human

errors that cause inadvertent outages to the T&D power grid.

Dominion Virginia Power – System ProtectionDominion Virginia Power – System Protection

Human Errors Tracked By Event Since January 2008

Electric Transmission Work Zone Identification Kit

Designed to Aid in Eliminating Inadvertent Equipment Operations from Wiring Errors, Jumpering Incorrect Points, Accessing Incorrect Panel/Device, etc.

o When working on equipment or components that look similar.

o When working on equipment or components that will be manipulated multiple times.

o When working on or near trip sensitive or risk important equipment.

Our Expectation: Use the Work Zone Identification Kit

Work Zone Identification Kit Insert (front)

Work Zone Identification Kit Insert (back)

Use Work Zone Identification Kit Banners

o To create physical barriers (banners and hangers) to direct the worker to the correct equipment and components and away from high risk equipment.

o Text on banners used as reminder of our human performance tools and terminology.

Use Work Zone Identification Signage and Flagging

o When working on equipment that is out of service for testing and the equipment requires signage or flagging for operational and/or safety reasons. Alerts others on the job that testing is in progress.

o Use flagging hangers when working on equipment or components that will be manipulated for operational testing or placed into an abnormal condition during testing period (i.e. scada control switch, breaker control switch, device power on/off switch).Red- Do Not Operate Green-Equipment Under Test Yellow-Abnormal Condition

o Wire caps will be used to provide an insulated cover up for wires and lugs during transitional periods such as construction jobs.

oWire caps are color coded:

oRed caps for new wiring that is to be terminated in the future.

oGreen caps for wiring that is being removed.

oYellow caps for temporary conditions.

oWire caps are sized to provide a secure fit (sock like) for multiple sized wires and lugs.

Wire Caps Instead of Tape

oTerminal point barriers used to cover up trip sensitive points on wiring blocks and provides a visual indication of the location of those “trip” points .

oBefore the task begins, cover any “trip” point that would result in an unwanted event if inadvertently touched or bridged.

Terminal Point Barriers

Without Terminal Point Barriers With Terminal Point Barriers

Terminal Point Barriers

“T” wire

“P” wire

“P” wire

“T” wire

P = Positive DC Voltage

T = Trip Point

o Flame retardant plastic used to build a

physical barrier to prevent incidental

contact with “live” electrical control

components (use when pulling control

cable, stripping wire, etc)

o The plastic is held in place with nylon

blanket clamps.

Plastic Sheeting as Barrier

Events vs. Decline in Experience and Increase In Workload

The Expectation/Requirement