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Importance of Earthing and Grounding during Construction and Maintenance

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International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 14, Number 2, 2019 (Special Issue)
© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

Importance of Earthing and Grounding during Construction and

Maintenance

Rakesh Ravindra Kumar Dr. S. P. Singh

Assistant. Professor Assistant. Professor Associate Professor
Electrical Engineering Department Electrical Engineering Department Electrical Engineering Department
REC, Kannauj, India REC, Ambedkar Nagar, India REC, Ambedkar Nagar, India

Jaswant Singh Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Mishra

Research Scholar Director
Electrical Engineering Department REC, Ambedkar Nagar, India
REC, Ambedkar Nagar, India

Abstract— In this paper, authors give brief and important second one have also some electric potential due to mutual
noteworthy point which must be followed by each workers inductance, which may not be safe and it’s safety level
and related professionals during working in the vicinity of depend on voltage level of charged line. Safe voltage for
high voltage line. Many types maintenance are going on in human body is below from 100 volt, because average human
the highly electrical processing industries, online body resistance is 1 kilo ohm. After applying this technique,
maintenance services are required without interrupting main earthed or grounded system has been always at earth
power supply. Suppose, two lines are crossed over to each potential or minimum potential which is available in the
other and one line is charged by high voltage ac supply and system. Electrical power transmission generally done at high
other one is completely disconnected from supply source, voltage level and distribution done at low level of voltage.
still second one have also some electric potential due to Demands of consumers of electricity is rapidly increased.
mutual inductance, which may not be safe and it’s safety Due to connection of different type of load power quality
level depend on voltage level of charged line. We avoid issues like as harmonics free supply, reliability, sag, swell in
from unpredicted hazardous electrocution situation, after voltage and uninterrupted electricity supplies. Due to the
applying this earthing grounding technique. All those things continuous need of electricity for consumers to have
are required due to needs of live line maintenance and live uninterrupted electricity supplies with good power quality.
line maintenance due to power quality issues like as Continuous supply requirement creates live line
uninterrupted power supply, sag, swell, reliability etc. maintenance like as replacement secondary line conductor
These things are also considering during large scale civil in double circuit overhead transmission line which is very
engineering work like highway construction, bridge dangerous for safety point of view. Such type of
construction, residential colony, shopping moll etc. maintenance is done by using fully skilled worker under the
Keywords—Step & Touch Voltage, Earthing - sharp supervision highly experience technical person. There
Grounding, Bonding, Electrocution, Earth – Mat. is some important technic which is use during such type of
live conductor maintenance. That provide normal operations
1. INTRODUCTION by adjacent circuits along the same live line.
Earthing is very powerful technique for safety purpose A. Earthing
during maintenance of power supply equipment vicinity of i. The meaning of earthing is personnel safety after that
HV line even though main supply is off. Many type equipment protection, these things is achieved by
maintenances is going on in highly electrical processing connecting the conducting material part of the system
industries. Parallel maintenance services are required (which does not carry any electrical current under the
without interrupting main power supply. It is very often to normal working condition) to the general earth mass.
see that two or more-power line crossed over to each other, For example, outer body part of all electrical motors etc.
if two line cross over each other and one is charged by ac
supply and other one is not connected to any supply source,

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© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

ii. Under the fault condition those parts may attain high C. Bonding
potential w.r.t earth (ground). So any living being i. Bonding is done by joining of two or more frame of
(workers) touching these parts that will get electric equipment by using electrical conductors.
shock due to the potential difference between its that is ii. Bonding is connected to all metal part of electrical
cause of flow of current of such a value which may equipment which is not carry any electrical current
prove to be fatal. during normal working operation.
iii. By connecting non-current carrying conducting material iii. Bonding is very useful concept in mass production
parts of the all-electric equipment to the general mass of industry, here all production machine is connected
earth to avoide electric shock, an earthing system is a to each other through a metallic strip or hollow pipe
earth conductors which conduct the fault currents safely even though they do not carry any current but they
to the ground. equalise same zero potential.
iv. First all non-current carrying part of the system is iv. The advantage of same electric potential is that no
connected through a metallic conductor after that it current flow between two machines when human
connects to general mass of earth. It is generally body make contact with two machines
obtained by inserting metallic rods, other good simultaneously, so by using this system we protect
conducting material electrodes which is settled deep from electrocution or getting electric shock because
inside the earth mass. electric current flow in case of presence of electric
v. Earthing provide surety about personal safety as well potential difference is there only.
as protection of electrical equipment by diverting the v. Personnel safety is primary reason behind it after
path of electrical current that means electrical energy is that equipment safety is secondary. Bonding is
grounded through diverted path rather than unsafe way. provided low impedance path for leakage current
hence there is fail to build-up any electric potential
B. Grounding at any machine which is simultaneously contribute
i. Grounding terms generally comes from transformer, mass production. When leakage current exceeds
alternator when talking about neutral point of star from predefined value of electric current, circuit
connected system, this is live part connection to earth breaker trip and result cut down the electric supply
mass. The simple meaning is that earth connection with form service mains. After termination of fault it can
live part for example neutral of star connected high be connect automatically or manually.
rating transformer and alternator etc. vi. Bonding is provided ensurity of personnel and
ii. Grounding technic refers the current carrying part of the equipment protection which is extensively used in
system such as neutral, during the fault, neutral point mass production industry. Mass production means
play very important role by means fault current passing making same job from different - different same
through the neutral wire which is not present in normal type machine that result is to produce bulk amount
operation. of product by using less time.
iii. It is providing return path during unbalanced power
D. Balancing the load vs Safety:
supply or unbalanced loading or unsymmetrical faults.
This type neutral point useful for power system Grounding circuit is provided return path for unbalancing
current of the system which is passing through neutral point
protection point of view like as phase to phase fault
of star connected system. While earthing system is made for
inside the machine and turn fault also, due to this reason protection of important as well as costly equipment. In this
neutral point of transformer and alternator is grounded. way this protection system provides different low resistance
iv. Black wire is used for this nomenclature. This system path for current. The grounding action may be performed by
also very useful during lightening surge. Voltage surge taking a neutral point for unbalance connection and connect
arrestor also pay very important role in this scenario neutral point through ground. Grounding is done to balance
unbalanced load. It avoids from electrical shock,
because it proves alternative short circuit path when very
electrocution and equipment damage.
high voltage is appeared.
v. Every DC as well as AC electrical-electronic circuit E. Equipment Protection Vs Human Safety
needs a reference potential that is nothing but earth Equipment protection means safety of electrical appliances
potential which have zero -volt electric potential. from permanent damage, for example lightening surge.
vi. In case balanced loading, there is no current passing During lightening system voltage going to be very high, this
through neutral point hence total neutral current is zero high voltage may be damaging the system if lightening
that sign healthy power system except three phases to arrestor is not installed there. Lightening arrestor is a
ground fault or balanced fault. controlled electrical element which resistance is varying by

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© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

changing applying voltage across it, whenever voltage potential rise zone. Step and touch potential is function
across it goes to high at a same time electrical resistance system voltage level and resistivity of soil. Cause of touch
and step potential is ground potential rise during fault current
abruptly down, nearly zero ohm. In this way system
discharging. It is necessary to know that awareness of the
protected from high voltage. Grounding is a technic which step and touch potential, whoever worked in the vicinity of
maintain the voltage level at fixed voltage level at particular HV line. Some times danger level voltage experienced due to
terminal point where the grounding wire is connected. If the mutual inductance in unearthed system during switchyard
system is not connected to ground wire, it may cause of maintenance.
damage of equipment as well as electrocution of living
being. Human safety is more valuable and important
compare to equipment protection, so for each and every one
design human safety is first after that system protection. The
average human body resistance is 1000 ohm. Human body
feel electric shock whenever pass more than 9 milliampere
current through it, before this limit, this sensible but not
dangerous for safety point of view.

F. System Zero Potential Vs Circuit Zero

Potential
Earthing as well as grounding both are refer to zero-volt
electric potential. A point which electric potential is not zero
when that point is not connected to earth mass system for Figure 1: Touch point and earth ground point
example, consider a single-phase load which one end
connect to phase line and other point is not connected to the H. Monitoring of step and touch potential
earth mass, in this situation, electrical potential at both end As power transmission systems become much complex and
of the load is always same. But when it is connected to the power corridors highly crowded, it becomes more common
earth mass then its potential goes to zero. Other hand, in to practice for parallel energized lines system to couple of
case of star connected alternator and transformer, star point energy (via electromagnetic induction) to de-energized
potential is varied with type of loading such as balanced lines. Further, with the sophisticated power control needed
loading or unbalanced loading. During unbalanced loading, to manage green energy, power levels on various lines can
there is always some electric potential at neutral point and in vary dramatically during a work shift.
case balanced loading, there is exhibit zero potential at the
neutral point. In this way star point potential is vary The SNT-02 kit provides an easy-to-use method to
according to type of loading. This is called system zero continuously monitor and alarm step and touch potential.
potential. The meaning of earthing is that the circuit is Simply drive the special ground rod about 15 feet from the
physically connected to the ground and its potential level is tower, mount the instrument and connect the probe to the
Zero Volt Potential (GVP) to the earth. The term of Virtual tower using a standard hot stick.
Grounding is come in moving system like as ship
electrification system, here not possible to connect the Table 1: Monitoring of step and touch potential
system to earth mass directly. That means neutral does not
always have zero potential with respect to ground. In case of Common Practice Better Practice
earthing, we have Zero Volt Potential (ZVP) references to
Single time measurement, Continuous measurement,
the earth while in case of grounding, we have Local Zero
measure the step and touch measure the step and touch
Volt Potential (LZVP) reference to circuit. When we potential before beginning potential before and
connect two different power circuits in power distribution
work. continuously during work.
system, we have to need a standard Zero Volt that is nothing
Use a voltage meter to Use the SNT to monitor and
but earth ground potential in common practice but it could
measure potential. alarm the potential
be others reference for analysis purpose. Most negative
point of the mobile circuits is considered as a ground
potential for example, electrical distribution management I. Electric shock and Electrocution
network of submarine, airplane, train locomotive etc. This An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact
common reference may not be equal for all the system with an electrical energy source. Electrical energy owns
compare to earth potential, it might be changed. through a portion of the body causing a shock. Exposure to
G. Tuch potential and step potential electrical energy may result in no injury at all or may result
in devastating damage or death. The health hazard of an
Touch potential is electric potential difference between
touch point of live conductor and earth ground point of electric current owing through the body depends on the
observer. Step potential is electric potential difference amount of current and the length of time for which it owns,
between two feet when observer is stranded up in electric not merely on the voltage.

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© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

J. Operation clearances of energized lines Table 5: Death caused by contact with electricity among
electrical workers in construction
This standard is use where construction work is going on
under the HV line, like as working with crane, JCB, etc. S.L. Death due to contact Percentage
Clearance margin is tabulated below: with electricity
1 Lighting fixtures 17
Table:2 Clearances from overhead lines 2 Electrical equipment and 44
wiring
Nominal voltage Minimum required 3 Overhead power line 32
distance (in feet) 4 others 7
0 to 50000 volt 10 feet
0 to 50000 volt 10+0.4 inch for each 1000 Death caused by contact with electricity among non-
volt electrical workers in construction, 2003-2005 average
CPWR. Total number of death is 124.
Table 3: Clearances from overhead lines for road crossing In above table, all workers are related to electricity by their
won profession but table number six gives the details about
Nominal voltage Minimum required non-electrical workers.
distance (in feet)
0 to 50000 volt 4 feet Table 6: Death caused by contact with electricity among
50000 to 345000 volt 10 feet non-electrical workers in construc-tion
Over 345000 to 765000 volt 16 feet
S.N. Death due to contact Percentage
with electricity
K. Current State of Art practices 1 Overhead power line 57
2 Energized object 5
The total no. of on duty death from electrocution, total
3 Electrical equipment and 15
average death is 70.3 out of 100000 full time worker,
wiring
selected construction occupation details are given below:
4 Machinery appliances 16
The rate of death from electrocution selected construction
occupation, (2003-2005) average CPWR.
L. Emerging Applications
Table 4: The rate of death from electrocution selected There are mainly two type grounding which provides safety
construction occupation during work in the vicinity of HV line and protect from
lightening also.
S.N. Occupation No. of death (i) Grounding of non-current carrying part related to
1 Electrical power 31.8 personal safety purpose.
installation /repair (ii) Grounding of current carrying part related to safety as
2 Earth driller 13.4 well as measurement purpose both.
3 helper 5.0
4 Electrician 4.8 Table 7: Most common emerging applications of earthing
5 Construction labour 3.9 and grounding
6 Iron worker 3.5
7 Welder cutter 2.3 S.N. Name of working area Protection technique
8 Super-wiser/ Manager 1.4 1 Civil construction area Spike with grounding
9 Roofer 1.3 2 Switch yard area Spike with grounding
10 Painter 1.0 3 Heavy electrical m/c Neutral point
11 Heavy Truck Driver 0.8 protection grounding as well as
12 All other construction 1.1 body earthing
Total 70.3 4 Mass production industry Earthing, grounding
with bonding
Death caused by contact with electricity among electrical 5 Domestic appliances Use third wire for
workers in construction (2003-2005) average CPWR. Total grounding
no. of death is 124. 6 Others Work with Precaution
and under supervision

M. Common misconceptions
i. Birds land on power lines, so they must be safe to
touch-NO

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International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 14, Number 2, 2019 (Special Issue)
© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

Primary aim of electricity is to access the ground using the 2. Pre-examine the site
direct route Birds do not get electrocuted when they land on Search very carefully around the working site and also take
wires because they do not describe a path to the ground. permission from accountable authority because there may be
They will also be electrocuted if electric path completes HV cable.
anyway. Clearly seen this figure (2), there is no complete 3. Pre-assume
path done by a single bird. That's why they all are safe. Alert others at the pre-job briefing things. Assume all lines
ii. Power lines are insulated, so they are safe to touch – are energized and potentially dangerous, because may be
NO lines energized due to manual or technical fault even though
Capacitive discharge continues in case of ac line, capacitive take permission from accountable authority. There must be
discharge current is greater than the value of current passing make a safety clearance boundary from lines. And also take
through the body, in this situation you are at severe risk of portable safety barriers.
life. They are not always insulated- 4. When working with tall and long equipment
i. Insulation deals with placing non-conductive material We take proper plan for working with heavy equipment
around the wire. installation, Keeps vehicles clear of power lines, Watch out
ii. Insulation is a material that offers high electric resistance for long objects and adjust the position of equipment to
making it suitable for covering wires to prevent the maintain a safe distance from power lines.
possible future contact of adjacent conductors resulting 5. In case of fallen power lines
in a short circuit. Just because a wire is weather (a) Stay away from the lines and inform others if possible.
protected does not mean that it is insulated- (b) Call for help to related authority.
iii. Weather protection prevents water and snow from (c) Shuffle with your feet together and on the ground to
reaching the wire (and insulation, if used). minimize electrical shock from step voltage.
(d) Protect yourself you could be shocked too if you touch
someone who is in contact with electricity.
(e) Encourage others to do the same.
6. If you hit a power line
In case of no immediate hazard
(a) Move the away from the equipment.
(b) Have someone call to related department.
(c) Stay on the equipment until you know it is secure.
(d) Warn others to stay away.
If you must get o the equipment, jump clear with joining
legs to avoid step voltage and escape out from step
potential zone.
When any power line fallen or touch the ground, electric
potential distributed in exponential manner up to few
distance from the touching point, the effect of electric
potential is vanished (not completely vanished but that
Figure 2: Birds sitting on the power line
effect is insignificant) after crossing this potential zone,
workers are safe from electric shock.
iii. Nonmetallic ladders are safe around power lines –
NO.
In case of wet ladders, it can be a conducting medium for
electricity. Pure water (which PH value is exactly 7 other
water is electric conductor) is non-conductive material but
normal water generally electric conductor because that PH
value is not exactly 7. Therefore, wet ladders are not safe for
working in the vicinity of HV lines.
iv. If power lines are not touched, they are safe-NO.
Electricity can jump, due to some ion present in the
environment, if you enter in the heavy electric field region
then energized ion complete own path and discharge
through the body & current passing through body is cause of
electric shock.
N. Injury prevention techniques
1. Recognize high voltage power lines
First recognize the voltage level at job site and set up proper
prevention techniques before starting work in the vicinity of Figure 3: Crane hitting a power line
HV lines. There should be going on awareness about it in
the society where these type lines pass.

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O. Conclusion [2] J. Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and

Magnetism, 3rd ed., vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon, 1892,
Earthing, grounding and bonding is very useful technique pp.68–73.
for personnel protection first after that equipment protection. [3] I. S. Jacobs and C. P. Bean, “Fine particles, thin films
All charging discharging current is grounded by using and exchange anisotropy,” in Magnetism, vol. III, G. T.
proper earthed grounded system during work in the vicinity Rado and H. Suhl, Eds. New York: Academic, 1963,
pp. 271–350.
of high voltage line like as live line maintenance of high [4] K. Elissa, “Title of paper if known,” unpublished.
voltage ac overhead lines. It is necessary to ground the [5] R. Nicole, “Title of paper with only first word
working system through a solid conductor because induced capitalized,” J. Name Stand. Abbrev., in press.
emf is too enough for electrocution near to EHV AC line. So [6] “Minimum clearance distances while traveling with no
all above mention point is very significant noteworthy point load”, August 9, 2010 [online] available :
which should be consider during new construction, https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_docu
ment?p_table...p_id=31, access date: November
installation and maintenance for all skilled as well as non- 17,2017.
skilled worker. [7] Y. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa,
“Electron spectroscopy studies on magneto-optical
media and plastic substrate interface,” IEEE Transl. J.
REFERENCES Magn. Japan, vol. 2, pp. 740–741, August 1987
[Digests 9th Annual Conf. Magnetics Japan, p. 301,
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[1] G. Eason, B. Noble, and I. N. Sneddon, “On certain [8] M. Young, The Technical Writer’s Handbook. Mill
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