Switching authorization
Switching authorization is the operating license / commissioning to a person authorized to switch, in a specified, specific electrical network or system part independently or on the instruction of the person authorized to switch to carry out switching and to set up workplaces. The switching authorization is issued in writing by the company or by the manager (e.g. responsible electrician , V-EFK) of the operator and includes the ability to properly switch operation in the relevant electrical switchgear and power supply within the scope of the switching work instructions for the to carry out a specified period. In special cases, in practice a "partial switching authorization" is granted for qualified persons in accordance with the operational organization.
Explanation
In order to prevent accidents, maintain health, operational safety and legally secure organization in the company, the entrepreneur is obliged to determine: who, where, what and when may switch.
General principles are described in Section 4 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act :
- The work is to be designed in such a way that a risk to life and health is avoided as far as possible and the remaining risk is kept as low as possible
- Dangers must be combated at their source
- The state of the art, occupational medicine and hygiene as well as other reliable ergonomic findings must be taken into account in the measures
- Planning of optimal working conditions
- Individual protective measures are subordinate to other measures
- Consider special hazards
- Issuing appropriate instructions
According to § 5 ArbSchG, working conditions are to be assessed:
- The occupational health and safety measures are to be defined through risk assessment and documentation.
- The employer must make the assessment depending on the type of work.
In the case of similar working conditions, an assessment of a job or activity is sufficient.
In this context, the accident prevention regulation "Electrical systems and equipment" (DGUV regulation 3), as well as the standard DIN VDE 0105-100 "Operation of electrical systems" must be considered.
In Section 3 (1) of DGUV regulation 3 , the entrepreneur is obliged to ensure that electrical systems and equipment are only installed, changed and maintained by a qualified electrician or under the direction and supervision of a qualified electrician in accordance with the electrotechnical rules. The entrepreneur must also ensure that the electrical systems and equipment are operated in accordance with the electrotechnical rules.
In DIN VDE 0105-100 (operation of electrical systems) it is stipulated, among other things, that the disconnection before work or the release for reconnection after work in a voltage-free state must be carried out by qualified electricians or electrotechnically trained persons .
Due to the risk and hazard analysis, through the use of the different voltage levels, switchgear, network design, load flows, locations, process sequences, the system availability and in the interest of occupational safety, as well as the legally secure organization, the practice has developed in the companies, switching operations to a qualified, to reserve the right to a limited group of people, the person authorized to switch orders / switching instructions and those authorized to switch.
"Electrical hazards" and ways to prevent accidents can be found in TRBS 2131. However, this was deleted without replacement in July 2010.
The implementation of circuits in the low, medium and high voltage network can, under certain conditions, be considered dangerous work within the meaning of the accident prevention regulation "Principles of Prevention" (DGUV regulation 1). In older medium-voltage systems in particular, the actuation of switching devices in the event of behavior errors can lead to critical situations. On the other hand, in the area of low voltage, where z. B. is activated with NH fuses, critical situations arise. For this reason, qualified persons with switching authorization must be commissioned who must use personal protective equipment (PPE) if the system does not provide protection. Here again, the entrepreneur and the responsible electrician are required to select, employ / employ the qualified, competent persons and, if necessary, have the switchgear manufacturer / installer instructed on site beforehand by their own specialists.
Prior to this, internal or external training courses in the field of switching authorization must provide the necessary basic and special knowledge for switching authorization. On the basis of this, the company or the network operator is given the right to switch the corresponding electrical system, the network, in writing for a specified period of time. Anyone who, as a conscientious entrepreneur, organizes switching authorization in his company does not have to accept any liability or criminal law consequences if an accident has happened. The same applies to the responsible electricians, supervisors and supervisors employed by the company, as well as those responsible for the plant and work.
The measures mentioned are intended to prevent accidents and incorrect switching.
literature
- Peter Pusch: Switching authorization for qualified electricians and qualified persons . VDE series of publications - standards understandable, Volume 79. Operation of electrical systems, legally secure organization that is stable in court, principles for proof of specialist knowledge VDE-Verlag , Berlin, ISBN 978-3-8007-3011-7