Power industry substation fitter - Substation fitter - distribution maintenance

Power network industry appreciation: generation of electricity, Transmission Network Operator, Distribution Network Operator (DNO), Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), Independent Connections Provider (ICP), supplier, generators - role and boundary of operation.

The office of gas and electricity markets (Ofgem) - their role and powers.

Power industry regulations: Electricity at Work Regulations, and The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations (ESQCR). Their purpose and basic requirements.

Substation fitter roles and responsibilities. Limitations of role and escalation procedures.

Responsibilities of persons as defined in industry standard safety rules: supervising a working party, competent persons. Authorisation roles and responsibilities. Safety documentation.

Business operation considerations: how activities may impact customers, financial constraints (budgets), penalties and rewards, ethical business practices.

The hazards associated with work on or near electrical power networks.

The dangers of electricity and how an electric shock can be received: direct contact, induced (impressed) voltage, and arcing. Electric shock emergency procedures.

Health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance - their purpose and basic requirements: asbestos awareness, Construction Design Management (CDM), Health and Safety at Work Act, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), lone working, Management of Health and Safety at Work, Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), and warning signs and symbols.

Risk assessments and method statements. Emergency procedures. Personal protective equipment (PPE). Manual handling. Fire safety.

Emergency first aid.

Working at height awareness and safe use of methods of access and egress. Hierarchy of methods. Mobile working platforms, scaffolding, ladders – inspection, operation, and maintenance requirements.

Working at height personal protective equipment: harnesses, fall restraint and arrest equipment - user inspection, operation, and maintenance requirements. Rescue from height equipment and methods.

Working in confined spaces awareness.

Plant and vehicle check requirements.

Asset security requirements.

The Environmental Protection Act – its purpose and basic requirements.

The power industry's net zero strategy. Principles of sustainability. Impact of sites of special scientific interest, flora and fauna on work. Potential effects on the environment of companies and individuals not complying with good environmental practices.

Recycling and waste transfer requirements.

Oil: containment, storage, disposal, spill management escalation and reporting, and specialist risk assessment.

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6): regulations, procedures, certification requirements for handling, reporting leaks.

Planning, prioritising, organisation, and time management techniques for self and working party.

Hand tools and power tools application and operation requirements. Insulated tools - selection and care considerations.

Communication techniques. Industry terminology. Adapting style to audience.

Documentation requirements; importance of accurate records.

Written communication techniques.

Team working principles.

Principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Mathematical theory in power engineering. Round numbers, scientific notation, percentages and ratios. Areas, perimeters, volumes and surface areas of simple shapes. Scales, tables, graphs and charts. Pythagoras’ Theorem and sin, cos, and tan in right-angled triangles. Substitution of numerical values into simple engineering formulae. The sequence of arithmetic operations.

Mechanical theory in power engineering. Mass, force and weight. Parameters of mechanical systems. The components of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Statics and forces. Energy, work and power. The parameters of material tensile strengths. The parameters of mechanical advantage. The lever principle and theorem of movement.

Electrical theory in power engineering. Circuit technology. Magnetism and electromagnetism. Transformers.

Power engineering electrical networks: generation, transmission, distribution and transformation of system voltages.

Power engineering electrical plant and apparatus, the properties and purpose of transformers, switchgear, earthing devices, voltage control and automated equipment.

The symptoms and causes of common faults on electrical power circuits, plant and apparatus.

Substation high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) equipment and its purpose: air compressors, busbars, circuit breakers, current transformers and voltage transformers, earthing systems and associated equipment, electrical switchgear, multi-core cabling, HV metering, isolators, primary equipment and connections, protection and control systems, telecontrol and automation equipment, transformer cooling, transformers, substation batteries, and AVCS systems (automatic voltage control systems).

Hazards and controls for access and egress of operational substation sites: security, pre-entry checks, logging in requirements, automatic or remotely operated equipment, and fire suppression systems.

Types of insulating mediums used in high voltage equipment and their advantages or disadvantages: insulating oil, SF6 gas, vacuum, air, and SF6 alternatives.

Methods of cooling transformers and their advantages and limitations: natural, pump forced, and fan forced. The methods of control and associated protection if overheating occurs.

Considerations for the handling or transportation of insulating oil (bulk and drums): reducing risk of spillage, bunding requirements, hygiene, barrier creams, specialist PPE, pumps, storage, labelling containers, manual handling, and disposal.

Methods of determining insulating oil electrical integrity or presence of contaminants: dielectric strength, moisture, acidity, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and carbonisation.

Safe systems of work on high voltage and low voltage equipment to ensure safety from the inherent dangers of the system.

Engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information: application and importance.

Commercial gas: storage, transportation, and safe use.

Types of cable containment management systems and installation requirements.

Multi-core wiring requirements: installation, termination (glanding, looming, crimping, and ferruling), labelling and identification system.

AC/DC (alternating current and direct current) supply power cable and power wiring installation requirements.

System earthing requirements: selection of materials and equipment for above and below ground earthing systems, installation, mechanical connections, welding, and brazing.

Fixing systems: unistrut, rawl bolts, chemical fixing anchors and proof loading, shims, and grouting for base plates.

Installation of plant, metal structures, and apparatus - internal and external - positioning requirements.

Lifting operations – rigging and slinging.

Testing procedures: voltage, polarity, insulation resistance, three-phase testing, phase rotation, earth loop impedance, continuity, and joint resistance.

Diagnostic fault-finding techniques.

Plant and equipment locking devices and interlocking systems requirements.

Methods for locating and avoiding utilities. Avoiding danger from underground services and overhead exposed conductors. The health and safety executive guidance and requirements: HSG 47 (Avoiding danger from underground services) and GS6 (Avoiding danger from overhead power lines).

Vehicle marshalling requirements and limits of role.

Battery installation and checking requirements. Principles of stored energy and incident level.

Mechanical testing requirements.

Oil sampling methods and requirements.

Information and digital technology: computers and mobile devices. Software: email, word processing, databases, productivity and collaboration software, and work and asset management systems. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cyber security.

Electrical testing requirements and methods: continuity and polarity of circuits, insulation resistance, Voltage, Earth Fault Loop Impedance (EFLI), phase rotation, and joint or contact resistance.

Insulating oil sampling methods: sample taps and sample tubes and their requirements.

Requirements for inspection, monitoring and condition assessment of equipment in distribution secondary or primary substation types.

Functional checks and routine basic maintenance of substation equipment requirements: breather gels, Automatic Voltage Control systems, cooling systems, bund pumps, battery monitoring alarms, oil pressure alarms, Transient Earth Voltage (TEV) testing.

Post fault and routine maintenance of oil filled circuit breakers requirements.

Routine ground mounted distribution oil filled switchgear maintenance requirements: removal and replacement of oil, cleaning of internal tanks and components, inspection and replacement of gaskets, lubrication of external mechanisms.

Substation battery maintenance and testing requirements: wet cell and dry (sealed) battery types.

Distribution primary transformer and ancillary equipment maintenance requirements.

Air break switch disconnectors maintenance requirements for motorised load breaking and manual non-load breaking equipment.

New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA): signing, lighting, and guarding. Safe excavation.

Access to private land, streets, and wayleaves permissions.

Methods for locating and avoiding utilities. Avoiding danger from underground services and overhead exposed conductors. The health and safety executive guidance and requirements: HSG 47 (Avoiding danger from underground services) and GS6 (Avoiding danger from overhead power lines).

Requirements for jointing earthing conductors using mechanical compression joints.

Low voltage and high voltage operational switching and testing requirements.

Electrical testing requirements and methods: continuity, voltage, and joint or contact resistance.

Insulation resistance testing methods and requirements.

Use and operation of mechanical fixings.

Condition monitoring processes and use of equipment relating to measuring asset condition.

Maintenance processes for transformers: tap changers, Buchholz relay, winding temperature indicator (WTI), qualitrol, breathers, surge arrestors, coordinating gaps, arcing horns, insulator checks and recalibrating (LNER).

Maintenance processes for circuit breakers.

Maintenance processes for air systems: making new pipework HP fittings, air leak detection, and gas leak detection.

Maintenance processes for ancillary equipment: isolator dynamic torque testing.

Substation battery maintenance and testing requirements: wet cell and sealed.

Restoring power procedures.

Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.

Prioritise and plan tasks with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.

Identify and organise resources to complete tasks for example, consumables.

Identify apparatus to be worked on.

Receive and clear a safety document. Brief a working party.

Follow substation access and egress procedures.

Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.

Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, demarcate the work area, working at height, confined spaces, COSHH.

Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.

Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe condition.

Apply security measures for example, set alarm system, remove climbing aides.

Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.

Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.

Conduct plant or vehicle checks.

Use working at height access equipment for example, scaffold towers and ladders.

Select, inspect, and use working at height personal protective equipment.

Select, check, prepare, use, and store hand tools and power tools.

Select, check, and prepare resources.

Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, or environmental impact.

Apply team working principles.

Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.

Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.

Record information.

Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, and reports.

Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.

Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.

Read, interpret, and follow representations, drawings, and graphical information to complete tasks. For example, multicore diagrams, schematics, and core sheets.

Prove plant, equipment, cabling, and system is safe to work on. For example, prove dead, isolate.

Check earthing is in place. For example, additional earths, equipment earths, and drain earths.

Follow lifting plan.

Install batteries. Check function and action as required.

Position transformers.

Locate and fix high voltage switchgear.

Select, position, and install AC/DC supply power cable and power wiring.

Apply mechanical connections, brazing, and welding techniques.

Lay and fix earth tape within excavation and to plant and equipment.

Produce wiring core sheets from wiring diagrams.

Select, position, and install containment management system. For example, unistrut, ladder tray, and trunking.

Select, position, and connect multi-core wiring including glanding, looming, crimping, and ferruling. For example, panel wiring within a protection panel and switchgear. Apply labelling and identification system.

Use test instruments. For example, volt meters, multi-function tester, and resistance tester.

Conduct mechanical testing. For example, torque and proof loading.

Conduct alignment checks.

Take oil samples for testing.

Apply diagnostic fault-finding techniques.

Interpret test results and action as required.

Replace components within equipment.

Remove cabling and equipment.

Read, interpret, and follow maintenance specifications.

Conduct diagnostic testing to identify asset condition; identify action.

Conduct continuity testing using a continuity test instrument or multimeter.

Conduct joint or contact resistance testing using a contact resistance tester (ductor).

Conduct insulation testing using an insulation test instrument.

Conduct circuit breaker timing tests.

Set up oil pumping equipment.

Remove and replace insulating oil from substation plant avoiding contamination.

Clean oil filled equipment following removal of insulating oil.

Check circuit breaker contact condition; remove and replace or dress.

Take oil samples from equipment.

Clean and lubricate operating mechanisms using approved lubricants.

Adjust, remove, and replace components for example, gaskets.

Conduct functional tests of equipment - post maintenance or routine.

Inspect substation site, buildings and equipment including steelwork and neutral earthing conductors and connections and identify defects.

Conduct electrical testing of earth electrodes using a digital earth resistance tester.

Joint earthing conductors using mechanical compression joints.

Check battery connections for any damage, clean cells, check monitoring alarms, check function of charging equipment.

Test substation batteries using voltage and analytical testing instruments.

Conduct supply checks of a low voltage single and three phase supply to identify: correct polarity, voltage, earth fault loop impedance and phase rotation.

Use electrical test instruments to diagnose a fault condition on low voltage distribution or control equipment for example open circuit, blown fuse, short circuit or out phase condition.

Interpret network schematic diagrams and geographic records to identify running arrangements prior to operation.

Prepare low voltage or high voltage switching operation schedules.

Operate network switching equipment such as switches, circuit breakers, links or fuses on low voltage or high voltage distribution networks.

Read, interpret, and follow maintenance specifications.

Interpret network schematic diagrams prior to carrying out testing activities.

Use mobile elevated work platforms.

Use diagnostic equipment to identify asset condition; identify action.

Conduct testing using a continuity test instrument or multimeter.

Conduct resistance testing using a contact resistance tester (ductor).

Conduct circuit breaker timing tests.

Conduct insulation testing using an insulation test instrument.

Remove and replace insulating medium for example, oil, SF6 or air from transmission plant avoiding contamination.

Clean equipment following removal of insulating medium.

Check circuit breaker contact condition; remove and replace or dress.

Take insulation medium samples from equipment for example, oil, SF6.

Clean and lubricate operating mechanisms using approved lubricants.

Adjust or replace components.

Conduct functional tests of equipment, post maintenance or routine, to confirm operating to expected parameters.

Conduct a visual inspection of transmission steelwork earthing connections; identify issues.

Check battery connections for any damage, clean cells, check monitoring alarms, check function of charging equipment.

Test substation batteries using voltage and analytical testing instruments.

Restore power.

Conduct transformer maintenance including tap changers, Buchholz relay, WTI, qualitrol, breathers, surge arrestors, coordinating gaps, arcing horns, insulator checks and recalibrating (LNER).

Conduct air system maintenance including making new pipework HP fittings, air leak detection and gas leak detection.

Conduct ancillary equipment maintenance.

Prioritise health and safety. For example, risk aware, minimise risks, and proactively work towards preventing accidents.

Consider the environment and sustainability when using resources and carrying out tasks.

Take ownership for work and responsibility for its impact on others. For example, self-motivated, disciplined in the approach to work tasks, identify and deal appropriately with distractions to enable tasks to be achieved, work carried out in line with standards.

Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, take initiative -making on the spot decisions, re-prioritise workloads to react to emergency response and to fault scenarios.

Perform in a professional manner for example, polite, courteous, and respectful to customers and members of the public.

Team-focus to meet work goals and support inclusivity. For example, support others, show respect to people from different trades, disciplines, backgrounds, and expertise.

Committed to continued professional development to maintain and enhance competence.