A day in the life of the Power Generation Technician

Hazards Around The Generator

Any potential source of energy that can harm, needs to be controlled. The generator has electrical, mechanical, gravitational, hydraulic, thermal, and chemical energy. Any of these have the potential to cause serious bodily injury, and death. Generators that Fluor uses produce as much a 480 volts power, others utilize 21,000 PSI for fuel injection., The rotating mass of these is incredible, hundreds of pounds spinning at 1800 RPM, should you become entangled, the little resistance your body might apply, will not even be noticed. Simply disconnecting the battery and placing a lockable “cup” over the terminal, will take care of most concerns. Fuel (chemical energy) in the tank is not controlled by this process, nor is gravity. Transfer switches are designed so that there can not be contact between the 2 inputs, but terminals on the generator should be checked with a meter. Defective equipment should be tagged out and repaired, before there is an incident.

Negative cable disconnected, less chance of arc. Locked out, with cup. Tagged out on lock.

. The ground immediately around a generator is covered by electric cables, ground rods, fuel lines, and spill containment berms. The generator installations at the FOBs offer unlimited slip, trip, and fall hazards. Generators are literally surrounded by traps and entanglements.

Poorly connected ground cabling found after the customer moved a generator. We find insulation trimmed and wire wrapped around, connecting an unauthorized use to the generator. This usually involves buildings that can not pass electrical inspections

Generators make electricity, and electricity kills. The cables laying on the ground have been exposed to UV, heat, cold, and foot traffic for years. The insulation is slowly breaking down. Some of these cables are 4160 volts. These areas should be avoided if at all possible. Inside the generator wires rub and chafe, eventually a bare conductor can touch the metal frame work, this can be a magnificent display of Arc Flash, or can just energize the enclosure. If the enclosure is energized an unsuspecting individual might receive a shock. A positive ground will allow any power in the enclosure to be safely routed to ground.

Generators are required to have 20 pound fire extinguishers. Many times we find cigar, or cigarette butts piled at the base of the fuel tank. The generator pictured is below a tower, and is occasionally covered by the debris from smokers throwing butts from the second level. The combustible material is actually the fuel vapor. If you can smell it perhaps you should not light up until you are farther away.

A $60.000 MEP 806 after the fire.

This happened when an RPG hit the FARP at an outer FOB. Perhaps the safety lesson learned here would be about placing your volatile liquid uphill from your other resources. The bladder was ruptured and fuel ran under everything, and of course the fire followed the fuel.

There are multiple hot surfaces inside. When a generator is working in the upper limits of it’s capabilities, the exhaust gas temperature can reach 1250*F. The exhaust manifolds can glow red hot. This is a considerable burn potential. Just brushing against that metal will peel the skin from your hands and arms.

Exhaust gases produced by internal combustion engines contain carbon monoxide which is lethal, and carbon dioxide, which will make people nauseous. Carbon monoxide is odorless, and is referred to as a silent killer. Exhaust gas needs to be directed away from human habitation. Generators require an unobstructed air flow. The LogCAP work environment sometimes makes it difficult to insure proper ventilation. This also becomes a noise issue.

Most new generators are shipped with “wet” type batteries, that are “dry”. This means the battery acid will have to be added. Batteries are shipped dry for safety reasons. First and foremost never work with battery acid without proper PPE. ALWAYS wear your Safety Glasses/Goggles and a Full Face Shield, Chemical Resistant Apron and Gloves. The next slide contains part numbers for items similar to what is required. There is an ongoing effort to replace all acid batteries currently in use with gel batteries, which are safer.

Some recommended safety equipment is listed below. Acid handling Gloves, 14” Mil-G-43976 PN 91G8415000385 Acid handling Sleeves, Rainfair 2300-4203 PN 91G4240001009 Acid handling Apron, Condor 3XE79 PN 91G8415000102 Face Shield, Sperian 11340143 PN 91G4240000238 Safety Goggles, UVEX S3810 PN 91G4240000241 Safety Glasses, Revision 4-0076-9800 PN 91G4240000354

Antifreeze is comprised of Ethylene Glycol or Propylene Glycol. The Glycol portion gives antifreeze a sweet taste. Antifreeze will attract animals and they will consume it because, like people they seem to appreciate the sweet flavor. However antifreeze will destroy kidney function and eventually cause death. A coolant leak at operational temperature can be a spray of liquid just at the boiling point, 212F or 100C. This can produce severe burns.

Machinery built in recent years has rounded edges and corners where ever practical. There a still plenty of sharp places to receive a cut or abrasion. Similarly pinch point are everywhere. Any time a wrench is pulled, or pushed on it can create a pinch point as the wrench rotates, and fingers become wedged between surfaces. A slipped wrench and knuckles scraped across the flywheel teeth, is certainly no fun. Below left – when this fitting breaks loose those knuckle will slam into the metal bracket. Bottom right – open palm used to push, with glove. Below right – the double wrench, nothing good will come from this maneuver. Top right - sharp edges and protruding bolt, waiting to scrap off some skin.

The 1 and 4 rule is not in use for this ladder. Also the ladder is damaged, and should be removed from service.

Both of these tools offer multiple hazards. Foreign objects in the eyes, from pressure blowing material in any direction. Compressed air can be forced through skin, and can create an air embolism, which is basically a blocked artery, or vein. The jet exiting a good pressure washer can be 5000 PSI, and will slice through flesh to bone instantly. Face shields are required.

Defensive driving (and parking), MRAPs are large vehicle with extremely poor visibility. Many incidents have been caused by their drivers and ground guides not being able to see the whole picture. The RPG netting adds width and creates problems on the narrow roadway, an individual at another FOB was actually snagged by the metal rod, and dragged a hundred yards before the MRAP crew became aware of his situation. The civilian convoys are another area of concern. Pedestrian traffic, incredible. People walking 3 and 4 abreast down the middle of the road. Running into the road from obscure positions. Headlights are not aimed correctly, making night driving thru the pedestrians an even larger challenge. Congested area near the ECP, with people trying to get through this blockage you would be well advise to turn and drive around the other end of the run way.

Many generators are small, and working with them requires a tech to bend and lean into the enclosure. This will create lower back strain in short order. Others require kneeling and reaching in, problems for knees. Some require actually climbing inside to perform work. Some parts weigh hundreds of pounds and there is not enough access to allow the use of a lifting device.

Generator Technician, wearing hard hat, safety glasses, and chemical resistant gloves. If the generator was running he would also need hearing protection. Below, reflector belts after dark.

These ratings are for the best sound attenuated enclosures. When working on a generator with the doors open the allowable limit is exceeded. Hearing protection is then required.

Light Sets are equipped with a tongue, and most have the capability to use the regular ball, or the pintle hitch. All trailer safety rules should be applied. When the boom is in the horizontal position and pinned. There are fork pockets that can be used to lift the unit. The support legs should be extended. We have experienced an incident where wind blew a light set over out at OP13. The supports were in their widest position and wind still tipped the set over. The mast is raised and lowered by a winch. If the cable breaks the mast will slam down, if an individual was at the rear of the machine it could be painful. The safety pin should always be in place, when the mast is raised.

Torn containment

The spill containments are necessary to protect the soil and ground water from being contaminated by petroleum products or antifreeze, they create a trip hazard. In slide 4, notice the power cabling draped over the side. The containment capacity is required to be 110% of the largest container.

This HWAP looks ok from the outside. The path to the eye wash bottle is congested. Along the rear wall material is sitting on the retaining lip, and hoses are coiled hanging over the edge.

Generators display a variety of warning signs, electric shock, flammable, noise, and JP-8. These signs are used for a reason. They are to warn people of potential safety dangers. It is advisable to heed these warnings. Many times we discover a generator that is surrounded by material. The air flow is restricted, there is an increased fire danger.

Climatic conditions are another safety concern. From summer heat to winter snow and cold. Workers must always be prepared, for adverse weather. In the summer hydration is an issue, consume plenty of water. During the cold season dress with layers to allow removal as the day or work creates heat.

Left - a transformer connected to the local power grid, this is live a few hours each day. All the connections are exposed. Surely this also contains PCBs. Right - a well digging project, purported to be over 90 meters deep. There is a man down in that hole. 5 gallon pails of dirt are pulled out with a windlass made from an old wire spool. A stainless steel dinner tray is used to reflect light down to the worker, in the well. At shift change they winch the man out of the hole and lower a fresh worker… Another notable, is crane operations where a person is “riding the hook”.

Mosquitos bring Malaria, Monitor lizards are not exactly poison, however their saliva contains enough bacteria to cause the loss of a limb. Cobras, Jackals, Rabies, Wasps, Flies. Thorny plants. The plant below has thorns an inch long, and it was growing at the base of the stairs to a b-hut. This Monitor Lizard is 3 and ½ feet long, and lives under a connex.

Above is the OP 13 ECP, in its earliest form. There are 4 light sets at this location. There is no Force-Protection, the area is wide open. Below right is the same area after the installation of Hesco barriers. Allowing Power Generation personnel some protection.

Rocket hole thru an 8” concrete ceiling, fuel tanks and a bunker, nothing between us and them but chain link, guard tower after a suicide bombing, parts of the car were blown into the SSA yard.

2 additional people are hiding in this picture.

There are many unseen and unknown hazards lurking in this picture. Just around the corner the hill sides are covered by markers indicating known land mines. During the night locals snuck into this, manned, tower and stole diesel fuel and fire extinguishers. The ECP area of Fenty has a high turn over of fire extinguishers also. What things can be made out of a fire extinguisher? Fire starts you grab a nearby extinguisher pull the pin, and squeeze – BOOM nice, booby trap.