Safety Standard for Dismantling & Rearranging (D&R) of Cables and

conduits

Document no: SS/ELEC-02

Version: 2.0, Issue Date: 14TH July-2017

Name Umesh Prasad A Ghosh Anurag Saxena

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Manager,
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Designation Head EHV, SSTG

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Electrical Safety Chief, Electrical T&D

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Prepared by Authorized by

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CONFIDENTIALITY
The information contained in this document is confidential to Tata Steel. Accordingly, copyright of
this document is retained with Tata Steel and no copying in any format of this document is permitted
without the written permission from the approver of this document.
 SAFETY STANDARD – Safety Standard for Page 2 of 6
Dismantling & Rearranging (D&R) of Cables and th
conduits, SS/ELEC-02,Version-2.0 14 July, 2017

Document Number SS/ELEC-02

Apex Safety Standard Sub-committee,
Overall Process Owner
Tata Steel.
Process Change Authorization Standard Owner - TSL
To be Reviewed By Standard Owner – TSL

Periodicity of Review of this Document Three years

Version Control History

Revision details
Ver. Date Prepared by Authorized by
i) Foreman or equivalent in
place of only Foreman under
clause no-6
ii) Single function Voltage
Umesh Prasad
2.0 14th July 2017 Anurag Saxena tester to be used for voltage
Anjali Ghosh up to 440 volt, and Non-
contact type voltage tester

o n should not be used both

1.0 01.09.2009 Umesh Prasad

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Anurag Saxena
added in clause A.6.

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conduits, SS/ELEC-02,Version-2.0 14 July, 2017

1.0 Purpose:
Purpose of this safety standard is to achieve adequate safety for the operating
personnel, while executing the jobs of Electrical Dismantling and Rearranging.

2.0 Scope:
This procedure establishes the safety requirements for dismantling, removing, or
Rearranging (D&R) electrical conduits, cables and conductors excluding Bus Bars &
Overhead Conductor.

3.0 Reference:

4.0 Annexure: Nil

5.0 Responsibility:
All IEM heads/Unit leaders/Elect In-charge Engg Div, in whose command area
the job of Dismantling and Rearranging is being executed.

6.0 Definition:
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Competent person:
A person in the level of Foreman or equivalent and above with at least 3 Years’

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experience in the plant, where the job is going to be executed, and having relevant and
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required “Electrical supervisory competency certificate” issued by Chairman licensing
Board, Jharkhand.
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Qualified person:
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The person having requisite knowledge in relevant field.
General:--
Before employees are permitted to start any electrical D&R activity, a competent person
must conduct a survey to determine the exact scope of work and the method for safely
executing it. Depending upon the complexity of the work or the hazards involved, written
job plan may be required.
The steps in this procedure are not intended to address all situations. In case of the
unique nature, the competent person shall exercise good judgment in determining
appropriate execution methods.
The D&R task shall be led by a qualified person. Any person cutting or disconnecting
conductors shall be a skilled Person.
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Associated Hazards with D&R Jobs:---

Hazards that may be encountered while engaged in electrical D&R jobs include, but not
limited to the following:---
 Back feeds in the electrical equipment.
 Induced / Residual voltage in cables.
 Cutting the wrong cables.
 Cutting through raceways containing energized conductors.
 Contacting energised conductors or parts.
 Failure of another LIVE Cable during the job.
 Inadvertent energisation of cable.
 Operation of relays causing unwanted tripping due to vibration.
 Incorrect labeling.
 Hazardous environment such as Gas, Steam, Water etc.

Safety Guidelines:--

A) D&R of Cables or Conductors in Conduit

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1. Cable or conductors to be D&R’d shall be electrically isolated as per existing
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Power Isolation procedure.

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2. If several cables or conductors are being D&R’d, they shall be cut one at a time.

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3. The job plan must clearly identify the boundaries of the work. It must be clear
what doors or covers are to be opened and what doors and covers are not to be

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opened. These doors and covers must be physically identified like marking with
identification tapes or signs.
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4. Each cable to be D&R’d should be identified with a particular tape, such as
‘Green’, ensuring that the similar tape is not used in any adjacent cable for some
other purpose.

5. If D&R of cable or conductors from conduit involves removing some conductors

in a conduit while some conductors are intended to remain as it is, then all the
conductors must be De-energised, and Tagged. Excessive force must not be
applied that can cause inadvertent damage to the remaining conductors or
cables.

6. Conductors shall be tested for the absence of voltage, verified at all access
points (pull boxes, junction boxes etc.) with 3 Bulbs test Lamp or Single function
Voltage tester for voltage up to 450 Volt and suitable Power tester for voltage
above 500 Volts like HT power tester for 3.3 KV and above and discharged.
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Proper operation of any Test device must be verified, both before and after the test.
Non-contact type test device for voltage testing should not be used as it has
limitations, such as not detecting DC voltage or not detecting AC voltage through
metal sheath. The user should be knowledgeable of those limitations.

7. After absence of the voltage has been verified, starting from the voltage supply
end, the conductors shall be removed to the access point and cut.
8. No conductor shall be cut until it has been physically removed to an access point.

B) D&R of Cables in Trays: ---

1. It is recommended that out of service wiring/cables should be removed.

2. If out of service wiring/cable is not physically removed, the minimum safe

practice includes disconnecting and identifying, in a highly visible manner,
cable(s) on both ends and indicating the location of opposite end. Out of service
conductor ends shall be individually insulated.

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3. The D&R task shall be analyzed to determine if induced voltage could present a

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hazard. An example of this would be a long run cable in the same tray with
energised cables. In those cases where hazardous induced voltage may exists,

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competent person must analyze the job for an appropriate path forward. That
analysis may indicate a ground must be installed on the opposite end of the

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cable from the direction the D&R will be done.

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4. Only reasonable force shall be applied while performing D&R of cables
intertwined with other cables that are intended to stay in service. Excessive force
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could cause inadvertent damage to other cables.

5. Tools used to cut cables shall not be positioned in a way that they may cause
inadvertent damage to another cable.
6. Cutting tools with insulated handle only should be used for this purpose.

7. After all the cables intended to be D&R’d are removed from the tray the
remaining cables shall be re-secured.
8. Following is the step by step procedure for D&R of cable in the tray
a. The cable shall be electrically isolated from both the ends and de
energized.
b. The cable shall be verified by continuity test.
c. Cable removal shall be started from the voltage source end.
d. If any cable in the tray is energised or has the potential to be energised then
before the initiation of cutting of the cable the visual verification must be done
from the end of the cable to the point of cut. This visual verification must be
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continuous along the length of cable. No cable shall be cut inside the
boundaries of the cable tray. The cable shall be laid over the side or elevated
above the wall of the tray.

Note: If the cable is intertwined with other cables or passes through walls or partitions
and it is impossible to have continuous length visual verification then the cable must be
physically removed from the tray to achieve continuous length visual verification prior to
cutting. Pulling the cable back and forth in the tray by two persons is not an acceptable
substitute for continuous visual verification and should never be depended upon for
cable identification.

C) D&R of Conduits:---

1. All junction boxes and pull box covers shall be removed prior to conduit D&R.

2. If at all practical, the enclosed conductors should be removed prior to D&R of the
conduit. If it is not practical to remove the conductors prior to conduit D&R, the
conductors shall be disconnected at both end, de energized and absence of the
voltage must be verified.

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3. All remaining holes after D&R of the conduit shall be plugged

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4. All effort should be made to unscrew the conduit rather than cutting it. If
unscrewing is not practical, then before the conduit is initially cut visual
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verification must exist from the end of the conduit to the point of cut. This visual

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verification must be continuous along the length of the conduit and must ensure
that branches do not introduce another voltage source. step defined below shall
be used.
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Checking Corrective and preventive actions: All IEM heads/Unit leaders in whose
command area the job of Dismantling & Rearranging (D&R) of Cables and
conduits is being executed & Safety officer.

Records: All IEM heads/Unit leaders/Elect In-charge Engg Div. in whose command
area the job of Dismantling & Rearranging (D&R) of Cables and conduits is
being executed