Question

IE Rules of Safety

Answer 1

INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES (1956) OF SAFETY

• These rules have been framed by the competent authority to ensure satisfactory operation of electrical equipment and apparatus used, safeguard the consumers of electricity from electrical shock and minimize the fire risk.
• Some of the important rules regarding general safety precautions are only listed below :

Rule 29 : Construction, Installation, Protection, Operation and Maintenance of Electric Supply Lines and Apparatus : 

• All electric supply lines and apparatus shall be sufficient in power and size and of sufficient mechanical strength for the work they may be required to do, and so far as is practicable, shall be constructed, installed, protected, worked and maintained in accordance with standards of the Indian Standards Institution so as to prevent danger. 

Rule 30 : Service Lines and Apparatus on Consumer's Premises :

(1) The supplier shall ensure that all electric supply lines, wires, fittings and apparatus belonging to him or under his control which are on a consumer's premises are in a safe condition and in all respects fit for supplying energy, and the supplier shall take due precautions to avoid danger arising on such premises from such supply lines, wires, fittings and apparatus.

(2) Service line placed by the supplier on the premises of a consumer which are underground or which are accessible shall be so insulated and protected by the supplier as to be secured under all ordinary conditions against electrical, mechanical, chemical or other injury to the insulation. 

(3) The consumer shall also, as far as circumstances permit, take precautions for the safe custody of the equipment on his premises belonging to the supplier. 

(4) The consumer shall also ensure that the installation under his control is maintained in a safe condition.

Rule 31: Cut-out at Consumer's Premises : 

(1) The supplier shall provide a suitable cut-out in each conductor of every line other than an earthed or earthed neutral conductor or the earthed external conductor of concentric cables within consumer's premises in an accessible position. Such cut-out shall be contained with adequately enclosed fireproof receptacle. 

• Where more than one consumer is supplied through a common service line, each such consumer shall be provided with an independent cut-out at the point of junction to the common service.

(2) The owner of every electric supply line, other than the earthed or neutral conductor of concentric cable, shall protect it by suitable cut-out.

Rule 32 : Identification of Earthed and Earthed Neutral Conductor and Position of Switches and Cut-outs therein :

• Where the conductors include an earthed conductor of a two-wire system or an earthed neutral conductor of a multi-wire system or a conductor which is to be connected thereto, the following conditions shall be complied with.

(1) An indication of a permanent nature shall be provided by the owner of the earthed or earthed neutral conductor, or the conductor which is to be connected thereto, to enable such conductor to be distinguished from any live conductor. Such indication shall be provided. 

(a) Where the earthed or earthed neutral conductor is the property of the supplier, at or near the point of commencement of supply. 

(b) Where a conductor forming part of a consumer's system is to be connected to the supplier's earthed or earthed neutral conductor, at the point where such connection is to be made. 

(c) In all other cases, at a point corresponding to the point of commencement of supply or at such other points as may be approved by an Inspector. 

(2) No cut-out, link or switch other than a linked switch arranged to operate simultaneously on the earthed or earthed neutral conductor and live conductors shall be inserted or remain inserted in any earthed or earthed neutral conductor in a two-wire system or in any earthed or earthed neutral conductor of multi-wire system or in any conductor connected thereto with the following exceptions : 

(a) A link for testing purposes, or 

(b) A switch for use in controlling a generator or a transformer.

Rule 33 : Earthed Terminal on Consumer's Premises : 

(1) The supplier shall provide and maintain on the consumer's premises for the consumer's use a suitable earthed terminal in an accessible position at or near the point of commencement of supply as defined under rule 58.

• Provided that in the case of medium, high or extra high voltage installation the consumer shall, in addition to the above mentioned earthing arrangement, provide his own earthing system with an independent electrode. 
• Provided further that the supplier may not provide any earthed terminal in the case of installations already connected to his system on or before the date to be specified by the State Government in this behalf if he is satisfied that the consumer's earthing arrangement is efficient.

(2) The consumer shall take all reasonable precautions to prevent mechanical damage to the earthed terminal and its lead belonging to the supplier. 

(3) The supplier may recover from the consumer the cost of installation of such earthed terminal on the basis laid down in sub-rule (2) of rule 82. 

Rule 34 : Accessibility of Bare Conductor :

Where bare conductors are used in a building the owner of such conductors shall: 

(a) ensure that they are inaccessible; 

(b) provide in readily accessible position switches for rendering them dead whenever necessary;

(c) take such other safety measures as are considered necessary by the Inspector.

Rule 35 : Caution Notices :

The owner of every medium, high and extra voltage installation shall affix permanently in a conspicuous position a caution notice in Hindi and the local language of the district and of a type approved by the Inspector on : 

(a) every motor, generator, transformer and other electrical plant and equipment together with apparatus used for controlling or regulating the same; 

(b) all supports of high and extra voltage overhead lines; 

(c) luminous tube sign requiring high voltage supply X-ray and similar high frequency installation;

• provided that where it is not possible to affix such notices on any generator, motor, transformer or other apparatus, they shall be affixed as near as possible thereto;
• Provided further that where the generator, motor, transformer or other apparatus is within an enclosure, one notice affixed to the said enclosure shall be sufficient for the purpose of this rule.

Rule 36 : Handling of Electric Supply Lines, Apparatus:

(1) Before any conductor or apparatus is handled, adequate precautions shall be taken by earthing or other suitable means, to discharge electrically such conductor or apparatus, and any adjacent conductor or apparatus if there is danger there from, and to prevent conductor or apparatus from being accidentally or inadvertently electrically charged when persons are working thereon;

• Provided that the sub—rule shall not apply to the cleaning of commutator and slip rings working at low or medium voltage.

(2) No person shall work on any live electric supply line or apparatus and no person shall assist such person on such work unless he is authorized in that behalf, and takes the safety measures approved by the inspector.

(3) Every telecommunication line on supports carrying a high or extra high voltage line shall for the purpose of working thereon, be deemed to be a high voltage line.

Rule 38 : Cables of Portable or Transportable Apparatus :

(1) Flexible cables shall not be used for portable or transportable motors, generators, transformers, rectifiers, electric drills, electric sprays, welding sets or any other portable or transportable apparatus unless they are heavily insulated and adequately protected from mechanical injury.

(2) Where the protection is by means of metallic covering it shall be in metallic connection with the frame of any such apparatus and earth.

Rule 39 : Cables Protected by Bituminous Materials : 

(a) Where the supplier or the owner has brought into use an electric supply line (other than an overhead line) which is not completely enclosed in a continuous metallic covering connected with earth, and is insulated or protected in situ by composition or material of a bituminous character:

(i) any pipe, conduit or the like into which such electric supply line may have been drawn or placed shall, unless other arrangements are approved by the Inspector, in any particular case, be effectively sealed at its points of entry into any street box so as to prevent any flow of gas to or from the street box, and

(ii) Such electric supply line shall be periodically inspected and tested where accessible and result of each such inspection and test be duly recorded by the supplier or the owner.

(b) It shall not be permissible for the supplier or the owner after coming into the force of these rules, to bring into use any further electric supply line as aforesaid which is insulated or protected in situ by any composition or material known to be liable to produce noxious explosive gases on excessive heating.

Answer 2

Rule 41 : Distinction of Circuits of Different Voltages :

 The owner of every generating station, substation, junction box or pillar in which there are many circuits or apparatus, intended for operation at different voltages, shall ensure by means of indication of a permanent nature that the respective circuits are readily distinguishable from one another.

Rule 42 : Accidental Charge :

 The owner of all circuits and apparatus shall so arrange them that there shall be no danger of any part thereof becoming accidentally charged to any voltage beyond the limits of voltage for which they are intended.

 Where ac and dc circuits are installed on the same supports they shall be so arranged and protected that they shall not come into contact with each other when live.

Rule 43 : Provisions Applicable to Protective Equipment :

(1) Fire buckets filled with clean dry sand and ready for immediate use for extinguishing fires, in addition to fire extinguishers, suitable for dealing with electric fires, shall be conspicuously marked and kept in all generating stations, enclosed substations and enclosed switch stations in convenient situations.

(2) First aid boxes or cupboards, conspicuously marked and equipped with such contents as the State Government may specify, shall be provided and maintained in every generating station, enclosed substation and enclosed switch station so as to be readily accessible during all working hours. All such boxes and cupboards shall, except in the case of attended substations and switch stations be kept in charge of responsible persons who are trained in first-aid treatment and one of such persons shall be available during working hours.

Rule 44 : Instructions for Restoration of Persons Suffering from Electric Shock:

(1) Instructions, in English, Hindi and the local languages of the district for the restoration of person suffering from electric shock, shall be affixed by the owner in a conspicuous place in every generating station, enclosed substation, enclosed switch station and in every factory as defined in clause (m) of Section 2 of the Factory Act, 1948 (LXIII of 1946) in which electricity is used and in such other premises where electricity is used as the Inspector may by notice in writing serve on the owner, direct.

(2) Copies of instructions shall be supplied on demand by an officer appointed by the Central or State Government in this behalf at a price to be fixed by the Central or the State Government.

(3) The owner of energy generating station, enclosed substation, enclosed switch station, and every factory or other premises to which this rule applies shall ensure

that all authorized persons employed by him are acquainted with and are competent to apply the instructions referred to in sub-rule (1).

Rule 45 : Precautions to be Adopted by Consumers, Owners, Electrical Contractors,

Electrical Workmen and Suppliers :

(1) No electrical installation work, including additions, alterations, repairs and adjustment to existing installations, except such replacement of lamps, fans, fuses, switches, low voltage domestic appliances and fittings as in no way alters its capacity or character, shall be carried out upon the premises of or on behalf of any consumer or owner for the supply to such consumer or owner, except by an electrical contractor licensed in this behalf by the State Government and under the direct supervision of a person holding a certificate of competency issued or recognized by the State Government.

 Provided that in the case of works executed for or on behalf of the Central Government and in the case of installations in mines, oil fields, and railways, the

Central Government and in other cases the State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt, on such conditions as it may impose any such work described therein either generally or in the case of any specified class of consumer or owners, from so much of this sub-rule as requires such work to be carried out by an electrical contractor licensed by the State Government in this behalf.

(2) No electrical installation work which has been carried out in contravention of sub-rule (1) shall be connected with the works of any supplier.

(3) The provisions of sub-rule (1) shall come into force in respect of a state or part thereof on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette appoint;

 Provided that the said provisions shall come into force in any oil field, mine or railways or in respect of any work carried out by, or on behalf of the Central Government only on such date as the Central Government may, by like notification, appoint.

Rule 46 : Periodical Inspection and Testing of Consumer's Installation :

(1) (a) Where an installation is already connected to the supply system of the supplier, every such installation shall be periodically inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years either by the Inspector or by the supplier as may be directed by State Government.

(b) Where the supplier is directed by the Central or the State Government as the case may be, inspect and test the installation, he shall report on the condition of the installation to the consumer concerned in a form approved by the Inspector and shall submit a copy of such report to the Inspector.

(2) (a) The fees for such inspection and test shall be determined by the Central or State Government, as the case may be, in the case of such class of consumers and shall be payable by the consumers in advance.

(b) In the event of failure of any consumer to pay the fees on or before the date specified in the fee notice, supply to the installation of such consumer shall be liable to be disconnected under the direction of the Inspector. Such disconnection, however, shall not be made by the supplier, without giving to the consumer seven clear days' notice in writing of his intention to do so.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this rule, the consumer shall at all times be solely responsible for the maintenance of his installation in each condition as to be free from danger.