Description

BACKGROUND

During a work near overhead energized MV lines, in order to reduce the risk of personal injuries, a limit safety distance is defined to determine safe areas in which workers can operate.

Safety distances varies according to, e.g.:

• voltage level of the live parts
• kind of work being executed: live working activity, work in vicinity zone, non-electrical work, …
• local regulation

As a general guidance, table A.1 from European standard EN 50110-1 is attached, showing safety distances for a given set of voltage levels. Note that these values may change depending on the Country regulation.

Following are some examples in which there is a risk of invading the area defined by the safety distance:

• Workers in buckets operating on pruning
• Workers operating on a LV overhead line that is underneath a MV overhead line
• Workers unloading equipment in the vicinity of a MV line

THE CHALLENGE

A solution is sought to identify the risk of invading a safety distance and warn the worker in real time.

A solution that also avoids entering the area defined by the safety distance will present a relevant added value.

As the safety distance depends on the voltage levels and the kind of activity, the proposed solution must be adaptable and programmed according to the specific situation.

This monitoring is not necessarily limited to workers but also equipment/other elements (e.g. vehicles, buckets, poles, …) could be monitored with similar objectives.

The solution has to be a support to workers action, but it does not justify a lowering (even unconsciously) in their level of attention or in the awareness of their actions and behaviors.

The proposed solution should not interfere with the normal working conditions or create other/further risk situations. The use of the proposed solution should not interfere with current PPE but could be integrated with them, provided their functionality is not reduced. Also, the use of the proposed solution should not interfere with the functionality of the current equipment.

Ideally, the proposed system should not only warn the worker on site, but also include a connection to a database, that provides information for remote monitoring and future near miss or accident analysis / corrective action plans.

Solutions must be cost effective, easy to implement and require minimum maintenance.

Solvers must present the technical description of the proposal and the procedures to follow.

ESTIMATED BENEFITS

•  Reduce accidents
• Near miss identification as well as possible poorly managed situations
• Consolidate awareness, reduction of unsafe behaviors

EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Effectiveness of identifying the distance from the live parts and warn the worker in real time that he is getting near or has invaded the area defined by the safety distance
• Effectiveness of impeding the invasion of the area defined by the safety distance
• Capability to program different distances according to the voltage level and kind of work to be executed
• Possibility to monitor not only workers but also equipment/other elements (e.g. vehicles, buckets, poles, …)
• Flexibility to use the proposed solution in different work scenarios
• Connectivity to database / remote monitoring
• Availably of information on the field
• Non-interference with normal working conditions
• Non-interference with current equipment, integration/non-interference with current PPE
• Cost of solution
• Easy to implement - Implementation time
• Minimum maintenance

The proposed challenge will support Enel towards achieving its commitments with the Agenda 2030 and will contribute particularly to the following SDGs: 

SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. By proposing solutions that warns the worker or even prevents him to enter a dangerous area, this challenge contributes to preserve life and avoid accidents. 

SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. At the same time, labor conditions are improved and made safer, thus promoting decent work.

Any questions about this challenge can be e-mailed to your local focal point (list of focal points in Regulations)