Non-Electrical Workers

[Design79]

Hi,
I have been asked a few questions that I myself am having difficulty finding concrete answers to. Does 4836 permit a non-electrical worker to access an LV panel and reset an MCB, replace a fuse, change parameters on a VFD/Servo or plug an ethernet cable into a device for programming purposes? For most of these jobs the LV side would be isolated via the main isolator with 24Vdc being supplied separately and still active, however some drives do require 3 phase to be up as they internally generate their own control power. If they are trained to do the task safely would they be considered a 'competent person'. The people accessing would be engineers, not just anybody.

I was also asked if a non-electrical worker could help with panel building (LV again) so long as no power is applied. I believe this one is prescribed electrical work and would be a no, but am thinking may as well ask here as well to be sure.

Thanks

[AlecK]

4836 does not deal on electrical worker vs non-electrical worker.
It deals with managing the risks of work - whether that's electrical work or anything else - either in or near LV /ELV installations & equipment.
And while it deals in competence generally; it doesn't get into specific qualifications / licensing / etc.

Resetting an mcb is not PEW, but the competence needed depends in the details.
With a modern panel the mcb would generally be accessible for operation without the operator being able to contact live parts.

similarly the other operations listed would generally not be PEW but - depending on circumstances - might involve being exposed for risk of contact with live parts.

assembling a "panel" is not necessarily PEW, as it could be manufacturing of the panel as an item that that then gets installed into an installation.
No different from assembling a range or other appliance or fitting.

[Design79]

Ok, thank you that is very helpful. The vast majority of panels accessed are brand new and built to be touch safe but there is some older equipment that needs to be accessed at times, so some risk assessments will need to be carried out around those.

I'm wondering if you could answer another question I have, which is purely for my own curiosity, as I'm finding the wording of the ACT/Regs/Standards a little confusing at times. When it says "Works means any fittings that are used, or designed or intended for use, in or in connection with the generation, conversion, transformation, or conveyance of electricity; but does not include any part of an electrical installation. (Ref: The Electricity Act)" would this mean that a transformer installed as part of a machine is not considered Works but a transformer supplying a machine is? Or is it purely related to electricity generation at the national grid distribution level?

Thanks and Merry Christmas

[AlecK]

basically all electrical equipment is either a fitting or a collection / assembly of fittings.

The 3 main types of such assemblies are "works" , "electrical installations", "appliances".
All defined in Act as mutually exclusive.
Demarcation between works & installation is 'point of supply"; generally but not always at property boundary.
Demarcation between installation and appliance9s) is supply terminals of appliance if directly connecte4d, or a socket outlet, or the ceiling rise connection for pendant type lights.

It's possible also to have appliances supplied directly from works, with no installation in between.
Eg streetlights, bus stops, & similar.

Works begins at eg Benmore, and runs through national grid & local distribution networks to supply installations
So the tx in street owned by network is part of works. So is the HV lines to Txs, and the LV output lines from Tx along street. So is the length of cable from network lines to individual installation, until it crosses the boundary PoS and becomes "consumer mains" & part of the installation.

large / complex equipment such as an assembly line in a factory would generally be classed (by Act) as appliance, and a Tx eg LV: ELV to provide eg 24 v DC control supply for that equipment will either be part of installation or part of appliance.
However there is some room for confusion here, partly because Act ESRs use different definitions for some of these terms.
ESR 4 explains how definitions in Act / ESRs can over-ride definitions from Standards.