Example: Creating, approving, and completing an isolation certificate for electrical work
Electrical engineers in Company ABC must sometimes do maintenance work on electrical equipment. To comply with safety standards for personnel and to ensure continuous operation, Company ABC creates and issues isolation certificates for electrical maintenance work.
Background
Company ABC plans to use Maximo® Health, Safety and Environment to control isolation processes so that work proceeds at appropriate stages in the isolation certificate lifecycle.
Ryan, the Maintenance Supervisor, is responsible for creating isolation certificates, and for assigning authorized personnel to do the isolation activities. Ann, the Performing Authority, is responsible for holding safety presentations that are called toolbox talks. Ann maintains the history of toolbox talks for record keeping purposes. James carries out the tasks that are associated with the isolation certificate.
- Does the electrical equipment meet the classification standards for the location?
- Does the work plan consider the requirements of electrical hot work near power lines so that safety is not compromised?
- Are the transformers, motors, and other equipment that is situated in a room that is adequately ventilated?
Preparing the data
- In the People application, grant authorization to issue, review, and approve isolation certificates. Identify the personnel who are authorized to isolate electrical equipment, and to access specific areas of the plant.
- In the Permit and Certificate Types application, create an active permit to work type where isolation is specified.
- In the Risk Assessment application, identify the hazards that are associated with the electrical maintenance work, and evaluate the risks. All of the risk factors must be analyzed before work begins. Develop the procedures to identify and eliminate or mitigate the risks that are related to the work activities. Add the precautions that are associated with the hazardous activities. Hazard records must belong to the same organization as the isolation certificate.
- In the Standard Actions or the Standard Action Groups applications, create emergency action records.
- In the Lock Out and Tag Out Plans application, create the lock out and tag out plans for the isolation of the electrical equipment.
- In the Operating Procedures application, specify the operating procedures to be followed.
Step 1: Create a work order
In the Work Order Tracking application, Ryan creates the work order for the electrical maintenance work. Ryan associates the work order with the electrical equipment that needs to be maintained, and with the location. For this example, the electrical equipment is a transformer. Because hazards are associated with this maintenance work, Ryan specifies that a risk assessment is essential. Ryan makes a note of the identifier of the work order.
Step 2: Create an isolation certificate
In the Isolation Management application, Ryan creates the isolation certificate. Ryan creates a related record relationship between the isolation certificate and the electrical maintenance work order. Ryan identifies the class of permit as isolation, and enters the details for the isolation certificate.
Step 3: Document the levels of risk
On the Hazards tab, Ryan specifies the active risk assessment that is associated with the isolation certificate for the electrical maintenance work. The risk assessment for the isolation certificate determines the actions that are needed to contain the sources of electrical power. Ryan also documents the safety measures that are essential for this type of permit.
Step 4: Specify the lock out or tag out operations
When a work activity specifies the maintenance of electrical equipment, special precautions must be taken to isolate the equipment before work can begin. On the Isolations tab, Ryan specifies the lock out and tag out operations that must be followed to isolate the transformer. These operations include shutting down the transformer, and isolating the transformer from any sources of electrical energy.
Step 5: Review and approve the isolation certificate
On the Review and Approval tab, Ryan specifies the team members who are authorized to review and to approve the isolation certificate. If needed, Ryan adds the site checks that are to be done, and adds the countersignatures that are essential.
Step 6: Hold a toolbox talk to verify the conditions
Ann uses toolbox talks to communicate safe working procedures to employees. Ann also uses toolbox talks to verify the conditions that are associated with the isolation certificates. Ann records the attendees, and the details of the items that were covered during the toolbox talk. For the electrical maintenance isolation certificate, Ann reviews the associated hazards, and the precautions that must be in place before the maintenance work begins.
Step 7: Complete and cancel the isolation certificate
When work is complete or if work must be done by another team, the details of returning the isolation certificate must be fully documented. James updates the isolation certificate to specify that the electrical maintenance work is complete. James verifies that the transformer was removed from isolation, and that the plant is returned to a safe condition.
Ryan sets the status of the isolation certificate to Isolation Removed, and then to Cancel. Ryan also enters the permit into the permit registry. If needed, Ryan specifies that an audit is essential.