Circular No. 31/2014/TT-BCT detailing regulations on electrical safety

CIRCULAR

Regulations on certain aspects of electrical safety

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Pursuant to the Electricity Law dated December 3, 2004 and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Articles of the Electricity Law dated November 20, 2012;

Pursuant to Decree No. 14/2014/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2014 of the Government detailing the implementation of the Electricity Law regarding electrical safety;

Pursuant to Decree No. 95/2012/NĐ-CP dated November 12, 2012 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Safety Technology and Industrial Environment;

The Minister of Industry and Trade issues this Circular detailing certain aspects of electrical safety.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular details certain aspects of electrical safety including: Safety training, ranking, and issuing safety cards; grounding metallic structures of houses and buildings within and adjacent to overhead power line protection zones for voltages of 220 kV and above to prevent induced electricity; safety warning signs; agreements when constructing houses and buildings within the protection zone of high-voltage overhead power lines; accident reporting procedures and violations concerning the protection zone of high-voltage power grids.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals engaged in electricity activities and using electricity on the territory of Vietnam, and other related organizations and individuals.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

1. Rural, mountainous, border, and island area electric operation and repair personnelare workers of electricity units operating under the Cooperative Law, with their scope of work in rural, mountainous, border, and island areas.

2. Electric operation, testing, installation, and repair personnel at enterprisesare workers of units such as power generation, transmission, distribution, installation, and electricity usage for production (with their own transformer substations) operating under the Enterprise Law.

3. Employerare representatives according to law or authorized persons of organizations, individuals, and units directly managing workers.

Chapter II

SAFETY TRAINING, RANKING, AND ISSUING SAFETY CARDS

Article 4. Subjects eligible for safety training, ranking, and issuance of safety cards

1. Personnel performing operations, testing, installation, and repair of overhead power lines or electrical equipment at enterprises, including hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical measurement systems; dispatchers.

2. Personnel performing operations and repairs of electricity in rural, mountainous, border, and island areas.

Article 5. Content of theoretical training

1. General training content

a) Electrical system diagrams, requirements for ensuring safety in electrical systems.

b) Organizational measures to ensure safety during work: Site survey and preparation of site records (if necessary); planning; registration of work; organizing work units; working according to Work Order or Work Permit; procedures for permission to work; safety supervision during work time; procedures for concluding work and resuming power supply.

c) Technical measures to prepare a safe workplace: Disconnecting power and preventing power from returning to the workplace; checking for absence of power; grounding; setting up barriers, posting prohibition and warning signs; establishing a safe work area.

d) Methods to identify and eliminate risks causing accidents at the workplace and methods to separate victims from the source of electricity and provide first aid for electrical accident victims.

đ) Features, effects, usage methods, storage methods, inspection regulations (testing) of safety equipment, tools, and devices suitable for the work of workers.

2. Specific job training content

a) For personnel performing overhead power line and electrical equipment operations

- For overhead power lines:

+ Operation procedures, fault handling procedures for overhead power lines;

+ Safety when: Inspecting overhead power lines; working on de-energized or energized overhead power lines; trimming trees within and near the protection zone of overhead power lines; working at heights.

- For electrical equipment:

+ Operation procedures, fault handling procedures, safety regulations for electrical equipment, substations;

+ Safety when: Testing electrical equipment; putting electrical equipment into operation or stopping its operation; working with direct current systems;

+ Fire prevention and extinguishing for electrical equipment, substations.

b) For electrical installation personnel

- Safety when excavating foundations for poles; trenching for underground cables;

- Safety when erecting poles;

- Safety when laying and tensioning conductors and lightning arresters;

- Safety when installing electrical equipment.

c) For electrical testing personnel

- Operation procedures, fault handling procedures, safety regulations for test station and laboratory equipment; organizational measures to ensure safety during testing;

- Electrical safety when conducting specific tests such as electrical machine testing, voltage transformer testing, current transformer testing; insulation testing of electrical cables.

d) For personnel repairing overhead power lines and electrical equipment

- For overhead power lines: Safety when repairing de-energized or energized overhead power lines independently or within the influence area of other operational overhead power lines;

- For electrical equipment: Safety when working with different types of electrical equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, generators, high-voltage motors, capacitors, and direct current systems.

đ) For personnel hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical measurement systems at installation locations

Safety when hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical measurement systems at installation locations whether energized or de-energized.

Article 6. Content of Practical Training

1. Methods for using, maintaining, inspecting, and testing safety equipment, tools, and work instruments suitable for workers' tasks.

2. Techniques for separating individuals from electrical sources during electric shock incidents and providing initial first aid to those affected by electrical accidents.

3. Operational procedures related to ensuring safety appropriate to the tasks of workers.

Article 7. Organization of Training

1. For workers specified in Clause 1, Article 4 of this Circular, employers shall be responsible for:

a) Developing training materials and setting training times consistent with the safety level and job positions of workers;

b) Select trainers in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3 of this Article;

c) Organizing training, assessing, ranking, and issuing electrical safety cards to workers after they have met the requirements. In cases where theoretical or practical examination results do not meet the requirements, retraining must be conducted for the unsatisfactory sections;

d) Managing and monitoring training activities, ranking, and issuing electrical safety cards within the organization.

2. For workers specified in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular, the Department of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for:

a) Developing training materials and setting training times consistent with the safety level and job positions of rural, mountainous, border, and island electricity operators and repairers;

b) Select trainers in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3 of this Article;

c) Organizing training, assessing, ranking, and issuing electrical safety cards to workers after they have met the requirements. In cases where theoretical or practical examination results do not meet the requirements, retraining must be conducted for the unsatisfactory sections upon the request of the employer.

3. Trainers

a) Theoretical trainers must hold a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field and have at least five years of experience working in that field.

b) Practical trainers must hold an associate degree or higher, be proficient, and have at least five years of experience performing work relevant to their training field.

4. Forms and Duration of Training

a) Initial training: Conducted when new employees are hired. The duration of initial training must be at least 24 hours.

b) Periodic training: Conducted annually. The duration of periodic training must be at least eight hours.

c) Refresher training: Conducted when workers change job positions or safety levels, or when there are changes in equipment or technology; when workers' examination results do not meet the requirements; or when workers have been absent from work for six months or more. The duration of refresher training must be at least twelve hours.

5. Depending on specific conditions, employers may organize separate training on electrical safety according to the provisions of this Circular or combine training on occupational safety, hygiene, fire prevention and control, or other training prescribed by law.

6. Costs for organizing training and issuing cards shall be borne by the employer.

Article 8. Electrical Safety Levels

Electrical safety levels are divided into five levels, from Level 1/5 to Level 5/5.

1. Requirements for each electrical safety level

a) For Level 1/5:

- Initial training results in theory and practice must reach 80% or higher;

- Knowledge of general regulations to ensure safety while performing assigned tasks;

- Proper use and management of assigned safety equipment, tools, and work instruments according to regulations.

b) For Level 2/5:

- Knowledge of general regulations and measures to ensure safety while performing assigned tasks;

- Proper use and management of assigned safety equipment, tools, and work instruments according to regulations;

- Knowledge of methods to separate victims from electrical sources;

- Knowledge of initial first aid for electric shock victims.

c) For Level 3/5:

- Requirements as for Level 2/5;

- Ability to identify violations and unsafe behaviors;

- Knowledge of how to monitor and supervise workers operating on power lines or electrical equipment.

d) For Level 4/5:

- Requirements as for Level 3/5;

- Clear understanding of responsibilities and scope of implementation of each unit when participating in joint operations;

- Ability to establish safety measures for implementing tasks and organize supervision and monitoring of workers;

- Ability to analyze and investigate electrical accidents.

e) For Level 5/5:

- Requirements as for Level 4/5;

- Ability to coordinate with other units, lead work, organize and oversee the implementation of safety measures.

2. Tasks Performed According to Safety Levels

a) Level 1/5 can perform the following tasks:

- Performing tasks without direct contact with energized equipment or conductors;

- Assisting units working on energized equipment or conductors.

b) Level 2/5 can perform the following tasks:

- Performing tasks of Level 1/5;

- Working in areas that have been completely de-energized.

c) Level 3/5 can perform the following tasks:

- Performing tasks of Level 2/5;

- Working in partially de-energized areas;

- Directly working with low-voltage energized conductors and equipment;

- Performing operations on high-voltage grids;

- Inspecting operational substations and power lines;

- Issuing work permits, directly commanding, allowing units to start work, and supervising units working on low-voltage grids.

d) Level 4/5 can perform the following tasks:

- Performing tasks of Level 3/5;

- Directly working with low-voltage and high-voltage energized conductors and equipment;

- Issuing work permits, commands, directly commanding, allowing units to start work, and supervising units working on conductors and equipment.

e) Level 5/5 can perform all tasks within the assigned scope.

Article 9. Electrical Safety Card

1. Issuance

a) New issuance after initial training and passing the required examination or when the worker changes jobs.

b) Reissuance when the worker loses or damages the card.

c) Amendment and supplementation when the worker's safety level changes.

d) The time for new issuance, reissuance, and amendment and supplementation of the card for workers as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 4 of this Circular shall not exceed five working days from the date of initial training, regular training, retraining, passing the required examination, or the date on which the employer receives the request document from the worker who has lost or damaged the card.

đ) The time for new issuance, reissuance, and amendment and supplementation of the card for workers as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular shall not exceed ten working days from the date of initial training, regular training, retraining, passing the required examination, or the date on which the Department of Industry and Trade receives the request document from the employer with workers who have lost or damaged the card. Employers with workers as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular are responsible for sending one set of application documents for training and issuing cards to the Department of Industry and Trade either directly or through postal service. The documents include:

- Request document of the employer: Fully stating the name, job, and current safety level of the worker;

- Two photographs (2x3) cm and the old electrical safety card (if any) of the worker.

e) Sample of the card according to Appendix I issued together with this Circular.

2. Usage

a) Validity period: From the date of issuance until the date of recall.

b) Throughout the work process, workers must carry and present the Electrical Safety Card upon request by the employer or inspection teams regarding electrical safety.

3. Recall

a) Recall the electrical safety card when the worker changes jobs or does not continue working at the previous organization or unit.

b) The recall of the card is carried out by the organization or unit that issued the card.

Chapter III

METAL STRUCTURE EARTHING IN AND ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY

 ELECTRICAL SAFETY CONDUCTOR ON OVERHEAD POWER LINES TO PREVENT INDUCED ELECTRICITY

FOR VOLTAGES OF 220 KV AND ABOVE

Article 10. Scope of Earthing

1. For 220 kV voltage: Within and adjacent to the right-of-way for safe power line protection up to 25 meters from the outermost or lowest conductor edge.

2. For 500 kV voltage: Within and adjacent to the right-of-way for safe power line protection up to 60 meters from the outermost or lowest conductor edge.

Article 11. Objects Required to be Earthed

1. Houses or structures with metal roofs insulated from the ground: Earth the roof. Metal structures under the roof do not need to be earthed.

2. Houses or structures without metal roofs: Earth all metal structures insulated from the ground such as walls, fence panels, beams, rafters, door frames.

3. Earth all metal structures insulated from the ground outside houses or structures such as iron frames, corrugated sheets, TV antennas, clotheslines.

Article 12. Earthing Techniques

1. Grounding rods must be made of round steel bars with a diameter of no less than 16 mm or square steel bars with equivalent cross-sectional area or angle steel bars with dimensions no smaller than (40x40x4) mm; the buried length in the ground must be at least 0.8 m (vertically), one end of the rod protruding above ground level (no higher than 0.15 m); the location of the grounding rod must not obstruct the use of houses or structures. No insulating materials may be coated on the surface of the grounding rod. In areas prone to corrosion, grounding rods must be galvanized or zinc-coated.

2. Earthing wires can be made of round steel bars with a diameter of no less than 6 mm or flat steel bars with dimensions no smaller than (24x4) mm or flexible multi-strand copper wire with a cross-sectional area of no less than 16 mm²; if earthing wires are made of steel, they must be zinc-coated or anti-rust painted.

3. Earthing wires must be securely fastened to the exposed part of the grounding rod and the metal structure requiring earthing using bolts or welding.

4. In cases where houses or structures already have existing earthing systems in use, there is no need to install additional grounding rods; only secure the earthing wire to the existing earthing system using bolts or welding.

Article 13. Grounding Responsibility and Management of Grounding Systems

1. Grounding Responsibility

a) For houses and structures existing before the construction of high-voltage power transmission lines, the investor of the high-voltage power transmission line project shall bear all costs and install the grounding system.

b) For houses and structures constructed after the completion of the high-voltage power transmission line, the owner or lawful user of the house or structure shall install the grounding system themselves or request the management unit of the high-voltage power transmission line to install it, and shall bear all costs.

2. Management of Grounding Systems

The owner or lawful user of houses and structures with metallic components that require grounding shall manage the grounding system. Upon discovering any damage or abnormality in the grounding system, they must immediately report to the management unit of the high-voltage power transmission line for coordinated resolution.

Chapter IV

SAFETY ELECTRICAL SIGNS

Article 14. Classification of Safety Electrical Signs

1. Safety electrical signs are divided into prohibition signs, warning signs, and directional signs, specifically as follows:

2. In addition to the safety electrical signs specified in Clause 1 of this Article, organizations and individuals may develop other signs with different contents for internal use, appropriate to the nature of their work.

Article 15. Placement of Safety Electrical Signs

1. For overhead high-voltage power lines, the sign "NO CLIMBING! HIGH VOLTAGE DANGER OF DEATH" must be placed on all poles of the line at a height of 2.0 to 2.5 meters above ground level, facing the direction most easily seen (Figure 1a or 1b in Appendix II of this Circular).

2. For underground power cables not shared with other types of pipelines or cables, the sign "POWER CABLE" must be placed on the ground or on markers at the centerline of the trench, easily visible and identifiable from any position; mandatory placement of signs at turning points; the distance between adjacent signs should not exceed 30 meters (Figure 6 in Appendix II of this Circular).

3. For substations surrounded by fences, the sign "NO ENTRY! HIGH VOLTAGE DANGER OF DEATH" must be placed on the entrance gate or door of the substation (Figure 2 in Appendix II of this Circular).

4. For substations suspended on poles, the placement of signs shall follow the regulations for overhead high-voltage power lines.

5. For indoor combined transformer substations, outdoor combined switchgear substations, and distribution boards (Pillar cabinets), the sign "NO APPROACH! LIVE WIRE DANGER OF DEATH" must be placed on the exterior of the substation facing the direction most easily seen (Figure 3 in Appendix II of this Circular).

6. On control and drive mechanisms of circuit breakers that have been de-energized for work, the sign "NO SWITCH ON! WORK IN PROGRESS" must be hung (Figure 4 in Appendix II of this Circular).

7. On barriers, the sign "STOP! LIVE WIRE DANGER OF DEATH" must be placed facing the direction most easily seen (Figure 5 in Appendix II of this Circular).

8. At work sites that have been cordoned off, if necessary: Place the sign "WORK HERE" in the work area (Figure 7 in Appendix II of this Circular); at the entrance to the work area, place the sign "THIS WAY IN" (Figure 8 in Appendix II of this Circular), and "GROUNDED" (Figure 9 in Appendix II of this Circular).

9. The signs "NO CLIMBING! HIGH VOLTAGE DANGER OF DEATH", "NO ENTRY! HIGH VOLTAGE DANGER OF DEATH", and "NO APPROACH! LIVE WIRE DANGER OF DEATH" specified in Article 14 of this Circular may be painted directly or installed as separate signs in the designated locations.

Article 16. Responsibility for Setting Up Safety Warning Signs for Electricity

The responsibility for setting up warning signs as stipulated in Article 15 of this Circular is defined as follows:

1. The project investor (for new construction projects) or the operation management unit (for projects already put into operation) shall be responsible for setting up signs in accordance with Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of Article 15 of this Circular.

2. The person supervising operations shall be responsible for setting up signs in accordance with Clause 6 of Article 15 of this Circular.

3. The direct supervisor of the working unit or the person permitting the working unit to commence work shall be responsible for setting up signs in accordance with Clause 8 of Article 15 of this Circular.

Chapter V

AGREEMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE PROTECTION ZONE

SAFETY OF OVERHEAD ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION LINES;

REPORTING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS AND VIOLATIONS IN THE PROTECTION ZONE OF HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER NETWORKS

HÀNH LANG BẢO VỆ AN TOÀN LƯỚI ĐIỆN CAO ÁP ||| PROTECTIVE ZONE FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION LINE SAFETY

Article 17. Agreement when constructing or renovating buildings or works within the protection zone for the safety of overhead electric power transmission lines

The implementation of agreements on measures to ensure safety as provided for in Clause 2, Article 51 of the Electricity Law shall be carried out as follows:

1. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the proposal document from the construction project investor, the high-voltage power grid operation management unit shall be responsible for sending a document to the project owner informing them of the time for conducting a site survey.

2. The site survey at the proposed location for construction or renovation of the work and the preparation of an agreement document with the project owner must be completed within ten working days from the date of receipt of the proposal document.

3. In cases where it is not possible to agree on safety assurance measures, the high-voltage power grid management unit must respond in writing, stating the reasons for not agreeing, to the project owner within five working days from the date of the site survey.

4. The contents of the proposal documents, the notification of the survey time, and the agreement documents shall be implemented according to Appendix III issued together with this Circular.

Article 18. Reporting on Electrical Accidents and Violations in the Protection Zone of High-Voltage Power Networks

In addition to reporting accidents in accordance with labor laws, the high-voltage power grid operation management unit shall report to the superior authority (if applicable) and the Department of Industry and Trade in accordance with Point c, Clause 1, Article 17 of Decree No. 14/2014/NĐ-CP as follows:

1. Immediate Report of Electrical Accidents

a) Time of Report: Within 24 hours from the occurrence of the accident.

b) Content and Form of Report: According to the model in Appendix IV issued together with this Circular, sent via fax or email (PDF file).

2. Semi-annual and Annual Reports

a) Time of Report: On June 5 and December 5 each year.

b) Content and Form of Report: According to the model in Appendix IV issued together with this Circular, sent via official correspondence and email (Word file).

Chapter VI

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 19. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from November 18, 2014.

2. Repeal Circular No. 03/2010/TT-BCT dated January 22, 2010, of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on certain provisions regarding the protection of high-voltage power grid facilities and Decision No. 34/2006/QĐ-BCN dated September 13, 2006, of the Minister of Industry on technical safety regulations for low-voltage rural power grids.

3. Transitional Provisions

a) Warning signs for electricity that have the same content but different specifications from those specified in Clause 1, Article 14 of this Circular must be replaced before July 1, 2016.

b) For individuals engaged in electrical operation and maintenance work in rural, mountainous, border, and island areas who have been issued safety cards under Decision No. 34/2006/QĐ-BCN dated September 13, 2006, of the Minister of Industry, the employer shall be responsible for compiling a list and requesting the Department of Industry and Trade to train and issue new safety cards in accordance with this Circular to replace the old ones; the completion time is before December 31, 2015.

Article 20. Responsibility for Implementation

1. Heads of units under the Ministry, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.

2. The General Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection is responsible for guiding, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of this Circular nationwide.

3. The Department of Industry and Trade is responsible for:

a) Developing plans for training, inspection, ranking, issuing safety cards for electricity, and notifying organizations, individuals, and units with subjects as specified in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular;

b) Guiding, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of this Circular within their jurisdiction;

c) Statistics and monitoring of electrical accidents and violations in the protection zone of high-voltage power networks within their area and reporting to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (through the General Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection) on June 15 and December 15 each year.

4. During the implementation process, in case of difficulties, organizations and individuals are requested to reflect these issues to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consideration and resolution./.