HIGH VOLTAGE
ISOLATION & ACCESS (HVIA)
The most effective Control Measure when working on any Electrical Apparatus is ELIMINATION
SIMPLY PUT… TURN IT OFF AND DISCHARGE IT!
HVIA is a well-known industry term typically used to refer to the Isolation and Access of High Voltage electrical apparatus.
The intended OUTCOMES of HVIA is to:
- Allow a Network Operator to formally issue permission to a Workgroup to allow them to come inside a prescribed Exclusion Zone, and;
- Allow a Workgroup to formally receive permission e.g. Electrical Access Permit, from a Network Operator to come inside a prescribed Exclusion Zone, and;
- Assure a Workgroup that the electrical apparatus will not become re-energised until the Workgroup formally surrenders its permission e.g. Electrical Access Permit.
HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS
1. ELIMINATION
2. Substitution
3. Isolation
4. Engineering
5. Administration
6. PPE
WORK INSIDE EXCLUSION ZONES
Before anyone enters a prescribed Exclusion Zone, State & Territory Legislation in Australia requires the electrical apparatus to be:
1. ISOLATED
2. TESTED DE-ENERGISED
3. EARTHED
Industry best practice also recommends the implementation of
4. OTHER PRECAUTIONS
5. ELECTRICAL ACCESS PERMITS OR TEST PERMITS
HVIA TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Very little Legislation exists that indicates what competencies are specifically required for the isolation and access of a High Voltage Network.
Victorian Legislation indicates “training shall be consistent with National Competency Standards”.
Workplace Health & Safety Legislation requires a worker be deemed competent to perform whatever task they perform. Training deliveries and outcomes may or may not have to be Nationally Accredited depending on the State / Territory plus the Network Operators requirements.
HVIA TRAINING & ASSESSMENT
Network Operators have a duty to determine a person is competent to work on, work near to, operate and/or access their Electrical Network.
One method that typically contributes towards determining a person’s competence is delivery of Training & Assessment. Note the following types of Training & Assessment that exist:
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Many Network Operators in Australia, choose to deliver their own In-House training courses to authorise specific Roles & Responsibilities related to their HVIA Operators.
A good example of this include Qld State Government owned Corporation Energy Qld (i.e ENERGEX, Ergon Energy, Powerlink Qld).
This allows their training delivery to be contextualised and limited to content specifically related to their own network, workplace procedures and switchgear types.
This is referred to as ‘Non-Accredited’ training and results in a Certificate of Completion.
Depending on the relevant State Legislation & Network Operator’s needs, this Certificate is in many cases the minimum Training & Assessment requirement.
Contact us for more information about this.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
UTC can research & develop your own Training & Assessment Course material, that is contextualised to your network and Workplace Procedures.
We can also assist with delivery as required.
STATEMENT OF ATTAINMENT
Various Nationally Accredited Units of Competencies related to work near to, work on, the operation and access of HV & LV electrical networks exist.
These Units of Competencies describe specific Elements, Performance Criteria & Assessment Requirements that must be fulfilled before issuing an ASQA recognised Statement of Attainment.
Where a Network Operator specifically requires a Statement of Attainment for the issue of Nationally Accredited Units of Competencies to issue various Competencies and/or Authorisations on their network, it means the training;
- Must only be delivered by a Registered Training Organisation that have the Units of Competencies on their Scope, +
- Must only be delivered by an ASQA approved Trainer & Assessor, +
- Pre-Requisites must be achieved to obtain a Statement of Attainment, +
- Will include additional content that is UNRELATED to a Network’s circumstance and/or configuration.
This is why Nationally Accredited Training is costly! $$$
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
UTC can arrange for the delivery of Nationally Accredited Units of Competencies by engaging RTOs we have strategic alliances with.
The Network Operator alone is responsible for determining the Competencies and subsequent Authorisations required to operate their electrical network.
Various elements commonly used by Network Operators to determine a person’s Competence and/or Authorisation may include:
- Site Safety Inductions,
- Licenses and Qualifications related to the Electrical Industry verified by the Network Operator,
- Licenses and Qualifications not related to the Electrical Industry verified by the Network Operator,
- Documented previous experience (Resume) verified by the Network Operator,
- Documented Verification of Competency as per the Network Operator’s requirements,
- Documented completion of a Training Course approved by the Network Operator i.e. ‘in house’ Certificate of Completion’.
- Documented completion of a Refresher Training Course approved by the Network Operator as per Industry Standard (typically each 2-3 years),
- Documented completion of at least 5 events performed for each Authorisation within a 2 year period which UTC has observed as being each 2-3 years is not uncommon.
HIGH VOLTAGE AUTHORISATION
Completing a Training Course alone, whether Nationally Accredited or Non-Accredited, does NOT make a person competent nor authorised to perform HVIA work activities.
In the event of an incident,
- The Network Operator will most likely be required to demonstrate how they determined the person/s involved were competent and authorised to perform the work task/s they were performing including HVIA requirements.
- The training & assessment material used to contribute towards determining a person’s Competence and/or Authorisation will most likely be scrutinised to determine its suitability.
The Network Operator alone is ultimately responsible for determining a person’s Competence and/or Authorisation for performing HVIA Roles & Responsibilities.
Training & Assessment only contributes towards this determination.
HV TRAINING INDUSTRY TERMS
More often than not, terms used in the High Voltage Industry can be misinterpreted depending on the State / Territory OR an individual’s personal network operating experience.
Add to that the terms used by the Vocational Education & Training Industry (VET) + Australian Skills & Quality Assurance (ASQA) and things easily get confusing for Corporate Training Coordinators and/or Business Development Managers who may need to determine required training for their team.
So, let’s clarify the meanings of some terms commonly used in the HV Training Industry:
Network Operator
In the context of High Voltage Isolation & Access, this typically means the Organisation responsible for the operation, maintenance and/or repair of the Electrical Network regardless of whom the Asset Owner is.
Most of the time the Network Operator is the Asset Owner.
UTC has however performed work with many organisations that were contractually designated with the responsibility as Network Operator whilst not being the Asset Owner.
HVIA (High Voltage Isolation & Access)
HVIA is a well-known industry term typically used to refer to the activities a Network Operator performs to isolate, test & earth High Voltage Electrical Apparatus with the specific intention of providing Access for a workgroup to come inside a prescribed Exclusion Zone to electrical apparatus.
HVSO (High Voltage Switching Operator)
A term used by Training Organisations and sometimes Network Operators to describe a training course and/or authorisation by a Network Operator to perform Switching Operations on their network.
Statement of Attainment
A document that shows the units of competency that a student completes as part of a Nationally Recognised course.
Non-Accredited (Certificate of Completion)
Delivery of a Course that
- Is not Nationally Accredited,
- May or may not be delivered as per Industry Best Practice & Network Operator requirements,
- Result in the issuing of a Certificate of Completion.
Functional Switching
An Industry Term used to refer to the switching of an electrical network with the specific intention for access to electrical apparatus where the work involves ZERO CONTACT with exposed electrical conductors.
RIC (Recipient in Charge AKA Recipient)
An Industry Term used to refer to a Person authorised by a Network Operator to formally receive an Electrical Access Permit and or a Sanction to Test.
Access Permit (AP) – AKA Access Authority, Electrical Access Permit (EAP)
A term commonly used within the Electrical Power & Supply Industry that provides Formal Permission to access and make contact with exposed electrical apparatus specifically listed on the Permit.
