“Electrical and Fire Safety-

A generalized approach”
Presented By
Nishant Kumar
Assistant Director, R&D Division, CEA

Prepared By
Shri A.K. Rajput, Chief Engineer, CEA
Ms Sheetal S Jain, Deputy Director, CEA
Sh Nishant Kumar, Assistant Director, CEA
Shri Sushil Kumar Suman, Assistant Director, CEA
Shri Naveen Kumar, Assistant Director, CEA
Introduction
• All electrical systems has potential to harm.
Electricity

Static Dynamic

• Leading to hazards like shock, fire and arc flash etc.

• Shock: Body becomes part of electric circuit.
 Muscle, nerves and tissue damage.
 At worst may lead to Cardiac arrest and severe burns.
• Arc Flash: An enormous
amount of concentrated
radiant energy explodes
outward from electrical
equipment.
 The explosion creates
pressure waves that can
damage a person’s hearing, a
high-intensity flash that can
damage their eyesight and a
superheated ball of gas that
can severely burn a worker’s
body and melt metal.
Fire: An electrical fault
may lead to fire incidence.

Leading to:
• Loss of life.
• Property
• Environmental damage
etc.
Excessive growth of vegetation was observed in sub Insulation mats are not provided for panels
station

Cable trenches are filled with drainage water Transformers without fencing
Misinterpretation of Regulations and Indian Standards

• Earthing systems was not

in line with the IS 3043
Code of practice for
earthing.
Danger notice plate in Hindi or English and the local
language of the District, with a sign of skull and bones of a
design as per IS -2551 shall be affixed
 Panels (LT and HT)

Panels Back side should display the following All non-current carrying metal parts of
Switch Gear & Control Panel shall be
earthed and insulating mat conforming to
IS-15652

All panels shall be painted with description

of its identification at front and at the rear.
Handling of electric supply lines and
apparatus

• Before any conductor/apparatus is

handled, adequate precaution shall be
taken to discharge it
• Every person who works on an electric
supply line/apparatus shall be
provided with tools & devices such as
gloves, shoes, safety belts, helmets,
earthing devices, etc
 Provisions applicable to protective equipment
Fire buckets: Fire buckets filled with clean dry sand and ready for immediate use

First-aid boxes: should be conspicuously marked and equipped with items

The locations of fire extinguishers, first-

aid boxes, gas masks and artificial
respirator shall be displayed in the control
room and operator cabin and be kept in
good condition
Transporting and storing of material near
overhead lines

(1)No rods, pipes or similar materials shall be taken

below, or in the vicinity of, any bare overhead
conductors or lines.
(2) No material or earth work or agricultural produce
shall be dumped or stored, no trees grown below or
in the vicinity of, bare overhead conductors, or lines
(3) No flammable material shall be stored under the
electric supply line.
(4) No fire shall be allowed above underground
cables.
(5) Firing of any material below electric lines shall
be prohibited.
 Laying of cables
• No underground power cable of voltage exceeding 33 kV shall be laid
without a minimum underground depth of 1.2 meters.
• No underground telecommunication cable shall be laid without a
minimum separation distance of 0.6 meters to the underground power
cable of voltage exceeding 33 kV.
• Cable trenches inside the sub-stations and switching stations
containing cables are filled with sand, pebbles or similar inflammable
materials or completely covered with non inflammable slabs.
 Transformers Failure

• India is having high transformer failure rate of around

12-17%.
• A high concern especially for Distribution Companies.
 Transformers Failure
• Core failure due to DC magnetization or displacement
of the core steel during the construction of transformer.
• Winding failure: short circuit or transient overvoltage.
• Transformer Oil.
• Short circuit of Bushing.
• Transient or overvoltage conditions.
• Lightning and switching surges.
 Transformer fault mitigation
Sufficient rating of:
• Power.
• Insulation.
• Estimated fault currents.
Oil testing: Gas-in-oil analysis should be performed annually
to measure the dissolved gases in the oil that are created by
developing faults in the transformer.
• The fluid screen test should be performed annually to
determine the oil’s ability to perform as an insulant. These
tests include dielectric breakdown, acidity and interfacial
tension.
Transformer fault mitigation (cont…)
Periodic cleaning of porcelain bushings and insulators.
The transformer windings, bushings, and arresters should
have a power factor test on a three-year basis.
On-line transformer monitor system for the most critical
transformers.
Designating an Electrical Safety Officer for ensuring
observance of safety measures specified under the existing
regulations and compliance towards the same.
 Electric Vehicle fire incidence

A container carrying electric scooters caught Nearly 100 Vehicles Gutted as Massive
fire near the company's factory gate in Fire Engulfs Electric Vehicle Parking in
Nashik, Maharashtra. Jamia Nagar
 Cause of EV fire
• The common causes of EV fires include the self-ignition (or
spontaneous/auto ignition) in parked vehicles due to arson or
sustained abuse.
• An uncontrolled and spontaneous combustion of matter.
• Changes in the internal structure of a material.
• Lack or insufficient protection from overcurrent and short-
circuits in the cabling.
 Cause of EV fire
• Inadequate protection from cable insulation.
• Abrasion damage due to vibrations present during operation,
• The action of others (arson).
• moisture short-circuiting the battery pack during flood.
• Physical damage due to hurricane winds.
• Road accidents (short-circuits, physical damage to cells
causing their ignition).
Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) fire triangle
 Electric Vehicle hazard mitigation mechanism

Each battery pack should be equipped with:

• A set of sensors.
• Electromagnetic valve supplying the extinguishing agents
into the box.
• Contactor which disconnect the high voltage wiring from
the batteries.
Introduction of standardized and tested Battery Management
System (BMS) in E-Vehicle:
• Cell voltage measurement and control
• Contactor control
• Isolation monitoring
• Temperature measurement and control
• State of charge/health calculation
• Communications.
Fire suppressant mechanism around battery system.
Central Electricity Authority (Measures Relating to
Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2010
(amendment from time to time)
• The general safety requirements pertaining to construction,
installation, protection, operation and maintenance of electric
supply lines and apparatus, handling of electric supply lines
and apparatus, provisions on earthing, lighting accessibility to
energized parts, factors of safety, precautionary measures
towards existence of gas and many more.
 Significance of Safety regulations
1. At present on average about 14,000 electrical accidents takes
place in India every year, in which more than 5000 human lives
are lost.
2. Increase in reported injuries, fires and deaths associated with
the unsafe use of electricity in hospitals, malls, hotels,
residential buildings, factories, construction sites and other
establishments.
3. Safety regulations emphasizes on the practices need to be
followed for Generation, transmission, distribution and safe
usage of electricity.
4. Scope and extent of application. - Applicable to general public
and persons engaged in generation or transmission or
distribution or trading or supply or use of electricity.
 Fire incidences in Hospitals/Nursing homes

• During COVID-19 pandemic 25 number of fire accidents in

Hospitals/ nursing homes, COVID Centres took place (as
reported).
• In total 88 people died.
• Reasons:
 Overloading of Electrical Installation in Mains.
 fault or failure of medical equipment used in ICU.
Fire incidences in Hospitals/Nursing homes (cont…)

 Fire took place in store room of the hospital and spread in patient
ward.
 Some fault in indoor unit of split AC and subsequently the fire
spread inside whole ICU room.
 Technical Fault in Medical Equipment (Incubator in NICU).
 Unauthorized extension of power supply to top floor of the
building without following safety measures.
 Internal Failure of UPS.
 Mitigation for such incidences

• Workplace should be provided with all preventive fire

safety norms along with relevant Fire Fighting system.
• Electrical installation in main and secondary distribution
system to be installed as per working load capacity
conforming to relevant IS Codes.
• Maintenance of wiring and temporary extensions.
• Periodical safety checks.
 Disaster Management Plan for Power Sector

• Defines the actions and roles necessary to prepare for and

respond to any disaster situation in the Power Sector in a
coordinated manner.
• Provide guidance to all agencies within the sector with a
general concept of potential emergency and roles and
assignments before, during, and following emergency
situations
 Priority wise Flood Plain Zoning
Priority-1: Defence installations,
industries and public utilities like
hospitals electrical installation,
water supply, telephone exchange,
aerodromes, railway stations,
commercial centres, etc.,
Priority-2: Public institutions,
Government offices, Universities,
Public Libraries and Residential
Areas
Priority-3: Parks and Playgrounds
• General safety requirements :-

• The material and apparatus used shall

conform to the relevant specifications
of the Indian Standards or National
Electrical Code or International
Standards where relevant Indian
Standards are not available.
• All electrical equipment shall be
installed above the Mean Sea Level
(MSL) or Highest Flood Level
(HFL).
 Cyclones
• Damage to transmission/
distribution assets and in some
cases even by uprooting them
completely or partially.
• The conductors of transmission
lines may snap or transmission
line towers may collapse due to
excessive torsional loading.
 Earthquake
• Damage in Power establishments like
the control rooms.
• Damage to the tower foundation that
may lead to tower collapse.
• Threat to substation equipment and
can cause power disruption.
• Damage to heavy equipment such as
generators, transformers, brittle items
(like ceramics), and the foundation of
the electrical equipment.
 Mitigation measures
• The formation level of power plants is kept at least 1.0 m above any
damage due to floods.
• The substations of transmission & distribution networks should be
built on a raised platform above-defined flood level and overhead lines
should be strengthened.
• The drainage system of the thermal power plant should be designed
for a 1 in 50-year frequency rainfall event for the power block area
and for the main access roads.
• The existing overhead distribution system should be replaced with the
underground cable system in cyclone-prone areas.
 Mitigation measures (cont…)
• Flood damage can also be prevented by using GIS Substation,
saltwater – resistant equipment which is less susceptible to damage
resulting from inundation.
• Hydro power projects, particularly located in susceptible cloud burst
areas, storage dams should be constructed in each basin which can
mitigate flash floods by storing the sudden flow of water caused by
flash floods due to cloud bursts in the reservoir area.
• IS 1893 (Part 4): 2005 deals with earthquake resistant design of the
industrial structures (plant and auxiliary structures) including stack-
like structures.
 Penal Provisions
• Section 146. (Punishment for non-compliance of orders or
directions):
• Contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or
any rules or regulations made thereunder, shall be
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to three months or with fine, which may
extend to one lakh rupees, or with both in respect of
each offence.
 Suggestions from CEA
1. Comply CEA Electrical Safety regulations including New and
periodical Inspections.
2. Inculcation of Electrical Safety assessment program by the
owner of the installation.
3. Conducting regular awareness programs for the concerned
personnel.
4. Periodic Safety Audits.
5. 26th June of every year would be celebrated as National
Electrical Safety Day.
THANKS!!
Electric Vehicle Fire reasons