ScottishPower Safety Instruction EM/SI/026 1st Edition (Issue 1)

SI-26 High Voltage Earthing

This Safety Instruction sets out the requirements for the positioning of Earthing Devices to achieve Safety
from the System for Persons required to Work on High Voltage (HV) Plant.
The purpose of earthing is to protect Persons against Danger arising from:
 Re-energisation as a result of failure of a Point of Isolation
 Inadvertent backfeed
 Induced voltage
 Impressed voltage
 Plant which is Charged or may become Charged
The protection afforded by earthing is dependent upon the following combination of factors:
(i) The correct placement of the Earthing Device on the System;
(ii) The efficiency of the connection of an Approved Earthing Device and its capability to carry the fault
current until installed electrical protective devices operate;
(iii) The speed of operation of the installed electrical protective devices when required to operate in such
circumstances;
(iv) The System voltage, the voltage gradient to the point of earthing, and the fault level at the point of Work.

SI-26.1 Definitions

26.1.1 For the purpose of this Safety Instruction the following definitions shall apply:
 ‘Mechanical Earth’ – a fixed Earthing Device comprising a dedicated earth switch, extension
device, or circuit earth facility on a circuit breaker
 ‘Portable Earth’ – an Approved Earthing Device made up of flexible leads. A Portable Earth
can be either:
o ‘Portable Primary Earth’ – an Approved flexible lead used as a Primary Earth
o ‘Portable Drain Earth’ – an Approved flexible lead used as a Drain Earth
o One of a variety of distinct Approved Earthing Devices set out at section 26.12 of this
Safety Instruction
Refer to section 26.12 of this Safety Instruction for guidance on the types of Earthing Device
and their Approved use
 ‘Field Equipment Earth’ – an Approved flexible lead used to bond temporary structures,
mechanical equipment or vehicles and other items of field equipment to the mass of earth or
the local earth System to avoid Danger from rise in earth potential
 ‘Main Earth System’ – interconnected, buried or surface conductors providing an electrical
connection to earth potential and intended to carry fault current from HV Plant

26.1.2 The following term is defined in Part D of the Safety Rules:

 Danger – a risk to health, or of bodily injury

26.1.3 In the context of this Safety Instruction the main Dangers to any Person applying earths to High
Voltage Plant are electric shock and burns or falling arising from:
 The application of earths to Live HV Plant
 Badly connected or insecure Earthing Devices
 The incorrect sequence or method of application or removal of Portable Earths

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 The inadvertent earthing of Live HV Plant by the loss of control or difficulty in the handling of
portable Earthing Devices
 The encroachment of Safety Distance to Live HV Plant during the application or removal of
Earthing Devices

SI-26.2 General Requirements for Earthing

26.2.1 Primary Earths shall be applied within any Isolated HV zone.

These Primary Earths shall where reasonably practicable be applied between the point of Work
and all Points of Isolation excluding Low Voltage (LV) connections but including where applicable
the Point of Isolation from common neutral earthing equipment.

26.2.2 The application and removal of Primary Earths shall be carried out by or under the Personal
Supervision of an Authorised Person who has received a Switching instruction from the
appropriate Control Person.

26.2.3 In addition to Primary Earths, Drain Earths shall be applied as required to eliminate Danger from
induced voltages, impressed voltages, inadvertent backfeed, or Plant which is Charged or may
become Charged.
Drain Earths shall be applied by an Authorised Person in accordance with the specific
requirements of a Safety Instruction, an Earthing Schedule or an Approved Written Procedure.

26.2.4 It is not necessary to earth every part of the HV Plant within an Isolated zone provided that the
requirements of the Safety Rules and Safety Instructions have been met.

26.2.5 Detailed instructions concerning earthing of specific types of Plant are contained within other Safety
Instructions. For example, Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’ details the
specific requirements for the application of earths to overhead line conductors.
Other Safety Instructions should be consulted for the application of earthing to various types of
Plant.

26.2.6 Where none of the standard earthing Schemes detailed within the Safety Instructions are
appropriate, use shall be made of an Earthing Schedule as detailed at Part F of the Safety Rules
to record the number of earths issued, points of application and, where appropriate, the sequence
of application for the Work.

26.2.7 Transformers and reactors shall be Earthed between their windings and all HV Points of Isolation.
Earthing is not required on the Low Voltage connections of transformers.

26.2.8 Remote Switching shall where reasonably practicable be used to apply an earth.
Local Switching to provide an earth shall where reasonably practicable be avoided.

26.2.9 Where reasonably practicable a circuit breaker, specially provided earth switch, or fixed Earthing
Device shall be used to make the first earth connection in accordance with the following:
(i) When an earth connection is made via a withdrawable circuit breaker the automatic trip feature
shall where practicable be rendered inoperative before closing. After closing any manual or
electrical means of opening the circuit breaker shall where practicable be Locked. If it is
necessary to remove the circuit breaker tripping fuses or links then a Caution Notice shall be
affixed and the Control Person shall be notified;
(ii) When a fixed circuit breaker is used, the tripping functions shall be rendered inoperative after
closing and the circuit breaker shall where reasonably practicable be immobilised and Locked
in the closed position.

26.2.10 Other than where permitted in a Safety Instruction or Approved Written Procedure, a minimum
of two Persons shall be present during the application or removal of Portable Earths to HV Plant.

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The application of Portable Earths shall be the responsibility of one Authorised Person only. They
may receive assistance but shall retain overall responsibility.
One of these Persons shall be an Authorised Person and the other a Person acting under their
Personal Supervision.

26.2.11 Before a break is made in any HV conductor, or a connection is made across any break, Danger
which could arise from voltage difference shall be excluded. If Danger cannot otherwise be
excluded, then the conductors shall be Earthed on both sides of and near to the point where a
break or connection is to be made.

26.2.12 When HV Plant has been disconnected from all supplies and physically removed from its normal
service position the use of Primary Earths on that HV Plant is not necessary provided that the HV
Plant is not electrically Charged.

26.2.13 When removing earths the last earth to be removed shall where reasonably practicable be via a
circuit breaker or specially provided earth switch.

26.2.14 Before applying Portable Primary Earths or Portable Drain Earths an Approved voltage indicator
shall where practicable be used to verify that the conductor to be Earthed is not Live.
The voltage indicator shall be tested immediately before and after use. If the conductors can be
visibly traced to an Earthing Device from the point of Work then a voltage indicator need not be
used.

26.2.15 At voltages of 132kV and above Portable Primary Earths on the line side of a line isolator shall
where reasonably practicable be applied and removed with the associated line earth switch closed.

26.2.16 Where it is not reasonably practicable to close a line earth switch then the Isolated zone shall be
temporarily extended to avoid the application of Portable Primary Earths to a circuit that can be
Charged and fulfil the requirements of section 26.2.9 of this Safety Instruction. This shall be
detailed within an Approved Written Procedure.

26.2.17 Where frame leakage protection is used to protect busbars, the following requirements shall where
practicable be met:
(i) A circuit shall be Earthed via the substation earth bar and the busbar shall be earthed via the
switchgear earth bar;
(ii) It shall be ensured that earth leads or other metallic objects do not short frame leakage
protection.

SI-26.3 Specific Requirements – Primary Earths

26.3.1 The application and removal of Primary Earths is defined as Switching and Primary Earths shall
be applied and removed in accordance with the requirements of Safety Instruction-25, ‘High
Voltage Switching’.

26.2.2 When the application and removal of a Primary Earth can be achieved by the closing and opening
of an earth switch or fixed Earthing Device, the application and removal of this fixed Primary Earth
shall be carried out by an Authorised Person with appropriate training and authorisation in
accordance with Safety Instruction-2, ‘Safety Rules Training, Authorisation and Competence’.
Where an Authorised Person is under training, the application and removal of a fixed Primary
Earth may be carried out in accordance with the requirements of section 25.4.24 of Safety
Instruction-25, ‘High Voltage Switching’.

26.3.3 When in recipient of a Sanction for Test an Authorised Person may remove and re-apply Primary
Earths as defined on that Sanction for Test without further reference to the Control Person.

26.3.4 Other than those exceptions detailed at 26.3.5 and 26.3.6, Switching to establish Points of
Isolation shall be carried out prior to Switching to apply earths.

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Completion of Switching to establish Points of Isolation shall where practicable be confirmed to

have been completed before any Switching instructions to apply earths are issued.

26.3.5 In some instances, due to switchgear achieving isolation and earthing by the same Switching
action, it is not possible to separate isolation and earthing into two Switching instructions.
An example is when moving switchgear to the ‘Earth’ or ‘Earth Selected’ position from the ‘Closed’
position.
The Plant to be Isolated shall be Dead prior to the operation of any combined disconnector / earth
switch. The combined Switching function of the switchgear means that may not be possible to
apply a Safety Lock between isolating and earthing actions.

26.3.6 It is not necessary to confirm completion of Switching to establish Points of Isolation prior to issue
of earthing instructions where, with the agreement of the Control Person, instructions to establish
safety precautions on single-end feed HV circuits may be issued as one group.
This is only permissible where precautions to achieve Safety from the System comprise a single
HV Point of Isolation.

26.3.7 Where it is not reasonably practicable to apply Primary Earths between the point of Work and the
HV Points of Isolation, they may be placed in an alternative position so as to have a similar
electrical effect to that which would occur if they were placed between the point of Work and the
Points of Isolation.
Such a position shall be in accordance with:
(i) On busbars, a permanent connection teed between the point of Work and the nearest Point
of Isolation at a distance not exceeding 9 metres form the tee point, or;

(ii) Alternatively, on busbars, a connection at a point no more than 9 metres beyond the point of
Work from the Point of Isolation, or;

(iii) For Work on metal enclosed switchgear, or for Work on circuits terminated at metal enclosed
switchgear, as detailed in Safety Instruction-29, ‘High Voltage Metal Enclosed Switchgear’;
(iv) In accordance with the requirements of an Approved Written Procedure.
Notes:
a) The 9 metre distance specified for busbars in 26.3.7(i) and 26.3.7(ii) shall not be applied to
overhead lines;
b) For gas insulated switchgear the stipulated maximum distance of 9 metres can be extended to
30 metres provided the full intent of section 26.3.7 is met. This may allow single point busbar
earthing.

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26.3.8 Where Primary Earths are applied all phases shall be Earthed except where Work is to be carried
out on phase segregated Plant, in which case Primary Earths may be applied only to the phase
on which Work is to take place provided that all three phases are Isolated and Safety Distance
can be maintained.

26.3.9 Primary Earths shall remain in position until all associated Safety Documents have been
cancelled with the exception of the following circumstances:
 Under Sanction for Test procedures as detailed within Safety Rule B2.1 and Safety
Instruction-38, ‘Testing High Voltage Plant’
 Those instances specified at sections 29.4.7 and 29.4.8 of Safety Instruction-29, ‘High
Voltage Metal Enclosed Switchgear’.

26.3.10 Primary Earths shall be applied as close as reasonably practicable to the point of Work.
Where Primary Earths are not close to and visible from the point of Work, Drain Earths shall
where practicable be applied.
Drain Earths shall be applied as close as reasonably practicable to the point of Work in accordance
with section 26.5 of this Safety Instruction.

SI-26.4 Specific Requirements – Portable Primary Earths

26.4.1 Where Portable Earths are used to apply a Primary Earth the following requirements shall be met
in addition to those of section 26.3 of this Safety Instruction.

26.4.2 Where Portable Earths are used to apply a Primary Earth these shall have a cross-sectional area
of no less than that specified in section 26.12 of this Safety Instruction.

26.4.3 The Authorised Person responsible for applying a Portable Primary Earth shall ensure that the
point to which the earth is applied is sufficient to carry the full fault current for the duration of a fault
on the System

26.4.4 The points of application of Portable Primary Earths shall not be such as to inhibit the operation of
any protective devices or other ancillary equipment.

26.4.5 When applying or removing Portable Primary Earths the Safety Distance to all HV Plant shall be
maintained.

26.4.6 The Authorised Person responsible for applying a Portable Primary Earth shall take all
reasonably practicable steps to prevent Danger during its application. This shall include including
making arrangements with the Control Person for Switching out additional Plant where necessary
to ensure sufficient clearance from Live HV Plant when using an Approved insulated device.

26.4.7 The Authorised Person responsible for applying a Portable Primary Earth shall where reasonably
practicable ensure that sufficient protective devices are in service on Plant in the vicinity of the
earthing operation to allow fault clearance in the event of inadvertent earthing of nearby HV Plant.

26.4.8 The application of the first Portable Primary Earth to any HV Plant in a substation shall be made
by the Authorised Person who has received the Switching instruction. The remaining Portable
Primary Earths may be applied under their Personal Supervision.

26.4.9 If a Portable Primary Earth becomes detached or defective during the course of Work under a
Safety Document, all Work shall immediately cease all Working Parties shall be withdrawn.
The relevant Control Person shall be contacted as soon as reasonably practicable and all Safety
Documents shall be cancelled.
Instruction shall then be given to prove Dead and apply a new Portable Primary Earth at a suitable
alternative position. A Permit for Work shall be issued for the sole purpose of recovering the
defective Portable Primary Earth. This Permit for Work shall be cancelled prior to any resumption
of Work.

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26.4.10 At certain 132kV and above Substation Locations it might be necessary to apply multiple earth
leads in parallel to form a Primary Earth of sufficient capacity to protect against the maximum fault
level at that point on the System.
Connecting earth leads in parallel derates each individual lead by 10% and this factor shall be taken
into consideration when determining the adequacy of two or three leads in parallel.

26.4.11 On wood pole overhead lines up to and including 33kV the down lead of the Portable Primary
Earths shall be connected to a cluster of four earth rods separated from each other by 1 metre and
inserted to a minimum depth of 450 mm.

SI-26.5 Specific Requirements – Portable Drain Earths

26.5.1 When the application of Primary Earths does not give adequate protection from induced voltages,
impressed voltages, or inadvertent back feeds, or in any other situation where Danger could arise
from these causes, Drain Earths shall be applied and removed by an Authorised Person in
accordance with an Earthing Schedule or as detailed within a Safety Document or Approved
Written Procedure.

26.5.2 Portable Drain Earths shall only be applied or removed by an Authorised Person trained and
authorised in accordance with Safety Instruction-2, ‘Safety Rules Training, Authorisation and
Competence’.
Where a Portable Drain Earth is to be applied by a Person under training that Person shall be
under the Personal Supervision of an Authorised Person.

26.5.3 Drain Earths used in connection with a Safety Document shall be applied and removed by an
Authorised Person as instructed by the Authorised Person in receipt of the Safety Document.

26.5.4 Portable Drain Earths used shall have a cross-sectional area of not less than that specified at
section 26.12 of this Safety Instruction.

26.5.5 Portable Drain Earths shall be managed in accordance with the requirements of Safety
Instruction-10, ‘Control and Management of Approved Equipment’.

26.5.6 Before applying Drain Earths an Approved voltage indicator shall where practicable be used to
verify that the conductor to be Earthed is not Live at System voltage. The voltage indicator shall
be tested immediately before and after use.
If the conductors can be visibly traced to an Earthing Device from the point of Work then a voltage
indicator need not be used.

26.5.7 If a Portable Drain Earth should become detached or defective during the course of Work under a
Safety Document, all Work shall immediately cease all Working Parties shall be withdrawn.
The Safety Document recipient shall ensure that a replacement Portable Drain Earth is applied at
a suitable alternative position and that the defective Portable Drain Earth is recovered prior to any
resumption of Work.
If the conductor-end attachment has become detached, the means of recovery of a detached
Portable Drain Earth shall be:
(i) Using an Approved insulated pole, apply the replacement Portable Drain Earth;
(ii) Coil the defective earth lead back towards the earth-end connector on the pole, tower, or high
structure;
(iii) Secure the defective earth lead, leaving it in place until all other Earthing Devices are removed
from the pole, tower, or high structure.
If the earth-end attachment has become detached, the means of recovery of a detached Portable
Drain Earth shall be:
(i) Using an Approved insulated pole, apply the replacement Portable Drain Earth;
(ii) Remove the defective earth lead.

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26.5.8 Any Portable Drain Earth that remains applied to HV Plant on completion of Work under a Safety
Document shall be declared in the Clearance section by the Authorised Person clearing the
Safety Document.
Where a Portable Drain Earth is to remain in place as a fixed Drain Earth, the requirements of
sections 32.8.4 and 32.8.5 of Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’, shall be met.

SI-26.6 Specific Requirements – Field Equipment Earths

26.6.1 The application and removal of Field Equipment Earths during Work on HV Plant where a Safety
Document is in force shall be carried out under the Personal Supervision of the recipient of that
Safety Document.

26.6.2 The application and removal of Field Equipment Earths during Work on HV Plant where a Safety
Document is not in force shall be carried out under the Personal Supervision of the Authorised
Person in charge of the Work.

26.6.3 The application and removal of Field Equipment Earths during Work on LV Plant shall be carried
out under the Personal Supervision of the Authorised Person in charge of the Work.

SI-26.7 Specific Requirements – Application and Removal of Portable Earths

26.7.1 When a Portable Earth is to be applied the earth-end of each earthing connection shall be connected
to earth before the conductor-end clamp is applied.
When multiple earthing connections are to be used in such a manner that two or more earth end
clamps will be in close proximity to each other, the earth-end clamps of all these earthing conductors
shall be attached before any of the conductor-end clamps are applied.

26.7.2 When a Portable Earth is to be removed the conductor-end clamp connection shall be removed
before the earth-end clamp. When multiple earthing connections have been used such that two or
more conductor-end or earth-end clamps are in close proximity to each other, the conductor-end
clamps of all these earthing connections shall be removed before any of the earth-end clamps.
At no time shall the conductor-end clamp of a Portable Earth be allowed to remain connected when
its earth-end clamp has become detached. Sufficient distance shall be maintained from the Portable
Earth to prevent Danger. If such a disconnected Portable Earth is the only earth on that conductor
at that point, an additional Portable Earth shall be connected between earth and that conductor
before the detached Portable Earth conductor end-clamp is removed.
In all cases, before the earth-end clamp is re-connected, the conductor-end clamp shall first be
removed.

26.7.3 On wood pole HV overhead lines at or below 33kV the shorting leads of Portable Earths shall where
practicable be connected onto a parking / securing bar prior to their application to any conductor
Where this is not practicable Approved class 1 insulating gloves shall be worn and direct contact
with the conductor end clamps on the second and third leads shall be avoided.

26.7.4 Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs) may be utilised to provide safe access for applying and
removing Portable Earths to overhead Plant.
In order to reduce the risk of inadvertently raising the MEWP bucket into the Safety Distance, the
MEWP shall where reasonably practicable be positioned so the bucket is raised to one side of the
Plant rather than from directly beneath it.
Under no circumstances shall any Person exit an elevated MEWP bucket.

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26.7.5 MEWPs shall be Earthed by the application of a Field Equipment Earth in the following
circumstances:
 In a Substation the MEWP shall be Earthed via the Substation Main Earth System
 Where the proximity of adjacent conductors can give rise to Danger the MEWP shall be
Earthed via an earth spike or connected to a local Earth System

SI-26.8 Specific Requirements – Identification of Portable Earths

26.8.1 All Portable Earths shall be identified by means of a unique identification number.

26.8.2 Each Portable Earth shall have affixed to it a label or tag by which the following can be confirmed:
 Unique identification number
 Name of the Person who inspected the Portable Earth
 ‘Do Not Use After’ date

26.8.3 Identification labels and tags shall be of an Approved type, for example non-metallic labels,
indelible marker, or engraving, and be permanently attached to each Portable Earth.

26.8.4 Where the Portable Earth is made up of several individual components each component shall where
reasonably practicable be separately identified.

SI-26.9 Specific Requirements – Storage of Portable Earths

26.9.1 Portable Earths shall be stored in accordance with the requirements of Safety Instruction-10,
‘Control and Management of Approved Equipment’.

26.9.2 Portable Earths shall only be removed from a place of secure storage by an appropriately
Authorised Person in accordance with the requirements of Safety Instruction-10, ‘Control and
Management of Approved Equipment’.

SI-26.10 Specific Requirements – Inspection of Portable Earths

26.10.1 Portable Earths shall be examined immediately before use by the Authorised Person responsible
for their application. The inspection shall confirm that:
 The Portable Earth is within inspection date and is suitable for use
 Contact faces are undamaged and clean
 Clamps operate freely
 There is no visible damage to the cable strands or cable insulation
 The cable joints and terminations are secure

26.10.2 Any Portable Earth found to be defective shall not be used and shall be immediately quarantined
pending repair or disposal.

26.10.3 Portable Earths awaiting inspection or repair shall be marked with a ‘Defective Do Not Use’ label
and quarantined.

SI-26.11 Specific Requirements – Substations

26.11.1 Work on or Contact with Un-Earthed Metallic Objects where Electrical Charge can be Induced
There is a likelihood of Plant contained with a substation becoming Charged due to the effects of
induced voltage.

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This likelihood exists during construction of substation Plant which has yet to be added to the
System in accordance with the requirements of Safety Instruction-7, ‘Additions to and Removal
from the System’.
An Approved Written Procedure shall be used to provide a Safe System of Work under these
circumstances. The Approved Written Procedure shall be produced in accordance with Safety
Instruction-9, ‘Approved Written Procedures’.

26.11.2 Substations with exposed High Voltage conductors

Before Work commences on the busbars and associated connections in substations with exposed
HV conductors, Primary Earths shall be applied between the point of Work and all Points of
Isolation from the HV System.
In some cases the most convenient point of application can be on a spur to the busbar. This is
permissible provided that the requirements of section 26.3.7(i) are met. A fixed Earthing Device or
a Portable Earth may be used for this purpose.

26.11.3 Indoor type substations

The configuration of the busbars in some indoor substations presents Danger when applying earths
above conductors which may be Live, meaning that it might not be possible to meet the
requirements of section 26.2.1 of this Safety Instruction.
In this case it is permissible to apply a minimum of one earth to the busbar. In some instances, the
most suitable point will be on a spur to the busbar, which is permissible provided that the
requirements of section 26.3.7 can be met.

26.11.4 Mesh substations

When Work takes place on a mesh corner, the operation of a switch, disconnector or isolator may
disconnect a Primary Earth from the point of Work. This is permissible provided that the
requirement of section 26.2.1 to have a Primary Earth in place between the point of Work and the
Point of Isolation is maintained and Danger from induced or impressed voltage is excluded.

SI-26.12 Specific Requirements – Types of Earthing Device

26.12.1 The following types of Portable Primary Earths are Approved for use:

Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent

a 2
Substations at or above 132kV 150 mm 92.23 mm2
Substations below 132kV 120 mm2 between phases 73.86 mm2
Substations below 132kV 120 mm2 phase-to-earth 73.86 mm2
OHL Towers at or above 132kV 150 mm2 Clear or 92.23 mm2
b 2
OHL Towers at or below 33kV 120 mm Orange 73.86 mm2
coloured
OHL Wood Poles at 132kV 120 mm2 between phases 73.86 mm2
OHL Wood Poles at 132kV 70 mm2 phase-to-earth 44.00 mm2
c 2
OHL Wood Poles up to 33kV 120 mm between phases 73.86 mm2
OHL Wood Poles up to 33kV c 50 mm2 phase-to-earth 30.78 mm2

Notes: a) Includes generating stations and convertor stations

b) Broad base tower lines
c) Includes slim lattice tower lines

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26.12.2 The following types of Portable Drain Earths are Approved for use:
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
Substations at or above 132kV a 150 mm2 92.23 mm2
b 2
OHL Towers at or above 33kV 50 mm 30.78 mm2
Substations below 132kV 50 mm2 between phases Blue coloured 30.78 mm2
or labelled
Substations below 132kV 50 mm2 phase-to-earth ‘Drain Earth’ 30.78 mm2
c 2
OHL Wood Poles up to 132kV 50 mm between phases 30.78 mm2
OHL Wood Poles up to 132kV c 50 mm2 phase-to-earth 30.78 mm2

Notes: a) Includes generating stations and convertor stations

b) Broad base tower lines
c) Includes slim lattice tower lines

26.12.3 Other Approved Earthing Devices comprise:

Field Equipment Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
2
Substations at or above 132kV 150 mm Labelled ‘Field 92.23 mm2
Substations below 132kV 120 mm2 Equipment 73.86 mm2
2 Earth’
All Overhead Lines 50 mm 30.78 mm2

Bridging Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
2
All Overhead Lines 50 mm Green coloured 30.78 mm2
or labelled
‘Bridging Earth’

Running Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
2
All Overhead Lines 50 mm Labelled 30.78 mm2
‘Running Earth’

Trailing Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
All Overhead Lines 50 mm2 Labelled 30.78 mm2
‘Trailing Earth’

Platform Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
All Overhead Lines 50 mm2 Labelled 30.78 mm2
‘Platform Earth’

Earthing Bridles (in accordance with Safety Instruction-32, ‘High Voltage Overhead Lines’)
Application Aluminium Conductor Identification Copper Equivalent
All Overhead Lines 50 mm2 Clear or Blue 30.78 mm2
coloured

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Rack Earths (in accordance with Safety Instruction-39, ‘Work on or Near to Reactive Compensation
Plant’)
Application Aluminium Identification Copper Equivalent
Conductor
Capacitor Units and Capacitor Rack or Frames 50 mm2 Labelled 30.78 mm2
‘Rack Earth’

Capacitor Short Circuit Leads (in accordance with Safety Instruction-39, ‘Work on or Near to Reactive
Compensation Plant’)
Application Aluminium Identification Copper Equivalent
Conductor
Clip-On Short-Circuiting Lead for Temporary Use 16 mm2 10.00 mm2
N/A
Bolt-On Short-Circuiting Lead for Permanent Use 50 mm2 30.78 mm2

ISSUE DATE VERSION No. AMENDMENT DETAILS

2024 1 New Safety Instruction

PROCEDURE PROCEDURE PROCEDURE

AUTHOR APPROVAL ISSUE AUTHORITY
Name: PRG Name: PRG Name: CSRC
Title: Title: Title:
Date: 01-02-24 Date: 01-02-24 Date: 01-02-24

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