Addressing PTW Issues in Queensland

A range of permit to work issues were addressed at the first meeting for the year of the Queensland Electricity Generators PTW Committee.

Generators attending for the first time included Origin and Contact Energy.

Jim Thornton from Powerlink (Queensland’s Transmission Group) presented all members with the New HVIA Procedures (Blue Book) which Jim was co author, the book details High Voltage Switching procedural requirements and references the recognition of Generator Interface Points and Tags. Key points discussed at this meeting were the introduction of a Code of Practice for use of Flame Retardant Clothing to comply with the Electricity Safety Act, the inclusion of Guidelines for Permit to Work Breaches and Disciplinary Action. Development of guidelines in this area would provide credibility to actions taken by individual generators, particularly when dealing with contactors across multiple generators.

Several generators detailed PTW incidents all of which involved PTWs that were issued without an application. Several incidents involved isolations which did not covere the scope of work required.

The other main incident of interest was where a contractor using their own PTW system within the perimeter isolation provided by the generating company, removed tags from redundant pant isolated by the generating company. These tags could not be accounted for when re-commissioning commenced.

The key objectives for the next meeting are to discuss the inclusions of guidelines for PTW breaches and whether the Committee be used as a vehicle for approaching government on safety legislation pertaining to Permit to Work that impacts on all generators.

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