Questions & Answers
Correct Answer
an apprentice electrician.
a competent, qualified electrician.
a person with good electrical knowledge.
anyone who has experience (provided the mains are off).
bright yellow.
bright orange.
red and white.
orange and white.
Assume all overhead lines are live until advised otherwise
Contact the electricity company to check if the bills are paid
Ensure that there is an electrician on site that knows how to disconnect cables
Assume the manager has contacted the electricity company and the lines are dead
Use a cable location device
Treat all buried cables as live
Use hand tools to dig near buried cables
Use power tools within 0.5 metres of exposed cables
The site foreman
Any electricity company employee
An authorised and competent person
The worker who is digging the trench
wear wellington boots.
check that it is not raining.
touch the lines to check that they are dead.
assume all overhead lines are live and could kill.
Be prepared to get an electric shock
Attend a briefing on the work to be done
Contact the electricity company (ESB Networks)
Advise residents that electricity lines will be disrupted
Get approval from your boss
Ensure the electrical mains are switched off
Wear the correct site personal protective equipment
Ensure the work is sectioned off with no one in close proximity
Ensure this topic is brought up in the site induction
Inform vehicle drivers in the risk assessment and method statements
Turn the electricity off from the overhead cables whenever there are vehicle movements
Put goal posts in place where there is potential exposure between the overhead cables and vehicles
It is to see if portable electrical appliances are safe. The label on the appliance indicates when the next test is due.
It is to see if portable electrical appliances work. The label on the appliance indicates when the test was carried out and when the next test is due.
It is to see if portable electrical appliances are capable of exceeding 55 volts. The label on the appliance indicates when the next test is due.
It is to see if portable electrical appliances are safe. The label on the appliance indicates when the test was carried out and when the next test is due.
Battery-powered tools as you won’t get hand-arm vibration
Battery-powered tools as they will not give you an electric shock
Electrical-powered tools as electricity is provided free of charge by clients
Electrical-powered tools as they can be tested as part of the site's PAT test
110v is less expensive to run.
230v is more likely to combust gases.
110v shock is less likely to kill a person than 230v shock.
110v electricity gives a better performance for power tools.
Coil wire in loops on the floor every 2m.
Ensure wires that are on the floor are not live.
Move any wires close to the side of the walkway.
Tie the wires up on the floor and preferably lay the wiring above head height.
To check it is a 110v machine
To check it has a PAT test certificate
To check that the power tool belongs to you
To check the casing, power lead and socket are not damaged
stop working and go home.
report the accident to all co-workers.
carry on working if there are no signs of health issues.
report the incident to the site manager and go to a hospital.
Call the emergency services as soon as possible.
Find a piece of wood and use that to break your colleague's grip on the cable.
Call the site manager immediately and ask them to suspend all power to the site.
Ensure you are wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment and pull them away from the cable.
Shortage of the battery could result in a fire.
The terminals on the battery can easily be broken.
Batteries have acid in them that could corrode tools and the tool bag.
Batteries are heavy and muscle strain could result from lifting the tool bag.
Every 2 weeks
Every 3 weeks
Before each use
At the start of each shift
Warning signs
Height restriction goal posts with barriers
Speed limits being enforced on site traffic
A separation of traffic and pedestrian traffic
seek specialist assistance and avoid contact.
turn off the source of electricity or separate the operative from it urgently by hand.
report the incident to the eletricity company and then the Health and Safety Authority.
turn off the source of electricity or separate the operative from it with a non conductive object.
Carry on walking to your work area.
Stop what you are doing and report the fault.
Tell your supervisor about the issue at the end of your shift.
Attempt to patch up the cable by putting electrical tape around the cut.
check the vehicle for damage before driving clear of the overhead lines.
leave the site immediately and only allow access to ESB (Networks) staff.
instruct everyone outside the vehicle not to approach or make contact with it.
jump clear of the machine (if inside), landing with feet spread wide apart and hands on the floor. Then, hop clear of the machine in this position.
110v.
220v.
240v.
3 Phase.
black (C02).
red (water).
cream (foam).
yellow (wet chemical).
It is safe to handle as you have been told that it is.
That you can work within 0.5m of the cabling whether it is live or not.
That you must earth any equipment or persons working close to the cabling.
It is live and you need to get a competent person or the electricity company to check it and confirm it is safe before any works commence.
Fuses or circuit breakers
Earthing of any electrical equipment
They should be marked with a warning sign
A sign with the word ‘DANGER’ on it that also indicates the highest voltage likely to be present should be placed on the system
The size of the electrical cable
The voltage of the electrical current
The length of exposure to electricity
The presence of moisture in the environment
The contractors who are working on site
Any operative using electrical equipment
Everybody who is working on the construction site
The principal contractors who are in control of the whole site
110v
120v
240v
480v
Always use other contractors' electrical equipment.
Have equipment tested regularly by a competent person.
All equipment is considered safe if it is working as it should.
Check the equipment when it becomes faulty or does not work.
A PAT certificate sticker should be displayed on all handheld devices and updated every 6 months.
A PAT certificate sticker should be displayed on all handheld devices and updated every 12 months.
The law requires electrical equipment to be safe. The PAT test is one tool that can be used to ensure this.
The law requires PAT tests to be carried out on a weekly basis.
tell their employer if they think the equipment is unsafe.
refuse to use any mains-powered device that is not limited to 55v.
repair to the best of their ability any equipment that they have broken.
obtain the minimum accreditation for working with electrical equipment on site.
Existing cable routes
Depth for the new cabling route
Local traffic routes to the new route of cabling
The voltage and the requirements of installing such cabling
employ hand-digging when nearing the assumed lines of any cables.
regard all buried cables as live. Do not assume that pot-ended cables are dead or disused.
support—and protect against damage—any exposed cables that are being used as hand or footholds.
fit electronic-proximity warning devices to any power tools used within 0.5m of the indicated lines of any cables.
Fetch the site manager
Turn off the power source
Call the emergency services
Try to pull them off the power source
Immediately report any defects that are found
Check the equipment for visible signs of damage or faults
Implement a system of periodical testing of the equipment
Ensure equipment is always used under the guidance of a competent and trained individual
the project sponsor.
employees and the public.
employers and employees.
employers and shareholders.
the advice of an inspector or competent person is acted upon.
an operative with a CSCS card can carry out electrical testing.
once tested by a competent person, an appliance never needs testing again.
new electrical installations and major alterations are inspected and tested by a competent person.
Asbestos
Live parts
Airborne fibres
Material wastage
The cables will likely limit a worker's line of sight.
Any damage to the cables would lead to a power cut across the site.
Overhead cables may fall as a result of damage from work being carried out.
Workers may accidentally touch the overhead cables and receive an electric shock.
Red
Blue
Black
Yellow
site manager.
competent and qualified person.
member of the emergency services.
representative from ESB Networks.
It is safe to use a vehicle in their vicinity.
They are dead and it is safe to work nearby.
It is safe to work as long as there are no warning signs.
They are live unless you've been told otherwise by an electricity company.
Proceed to their place of work
Check the electrical appliance works
Check the electrical equipment for any damage
Check the electrical equipment's PAT test is up to date
controlling access or eliminating the works.
wearing the correct, earthed personal protective equipment.
applying for an electrical shutdown to the network owner/operator.
only performing work outside of regular office hours, when electricity consumption is at its lowest.
A painted ladder
A wooden ladder
An A-frame ladder
An aluminium ladder
They are lighter to use
They are more powerful
They are easier to maintain
They are safer to use outdoors
Blue and 110V
Red and 240V
Yellow and 110V
Brown and 240V
Red, water based
Black, CO2 based
Yellow, foam based
Blue, powder based
remain in the cab. Then you should immediately inform ESB Networks.
get out of the cab immediately. Then you should contact ESB Networks.
get out of the cab immediately. Then you should inform the site manager.
remain in the cab. Then you should immediately devise a rescue plan with your colleagues.