In the Spotlight...South Charleston Office

CTL’s South Charleston office collected samples of dielectric fluids from electrical equipment to test for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for American Electric Power (AEP) during November and December 2006.

The sampling included approximately 60 pieces of equipment ranging in size from a stack of transformers standing approximately 60 feet high with the capability of generating 1,000,000 volts of electricity to electrical testing equipment that would fit into a brief case. Some of the sampling involved collecting samples with the use of a bucket truck to reach the elevated equipment. Bill Chambers and Justin Reed from the South Charleston, West Virginia office underwent OSHA “aerial lift” and “safety harness” training provided by Jim Crowley, Corporate Safety Director, in order to perform the project. Although not involved in the dielectric fluids sampling, other participants in the OSHA training included Brian Frye, Marcos Ramarez, Bruce Turner, Ryan Oates and Shannon Felkey from the Columbus office.

Prior to collecting the dielectric fluids CTL developed a site specific health and safety plan to be followed by CTL personnel during onsite work. The health and safety plan, otherwise known as an HSP, includes personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn, based upon the type of work to be performed and materials to be sampled or encountered. (Remember your safety advisories?) Because PCBs may be present, the HSP required onsite personnel to wear safety glasses, latex gloves and hard hats during sampling activities.

Several of the units to be sampled had the fluids sealed under one to four pounds per square inch (psi) pressure. Sampling the pressurized equipment required constructing secondary containment in the event the pressure forced the fluid from the container once the seal had been breached. When the fluid suddenly shot out under pressure from one of the units, the equipment specified in the HSP resulted in preventing dielectric fluid from contacting the skin and eyes. Although the fluid later proved to contain no PCBs, the HSP and secondary containment prevented a threat to the workers and prevented a release of fluid to the ground.

The CTL chemistry laboratory in Columbus was recently approved to perform testing for AEP. This is the first project the chemistry lab has performed since becoming an AEP approved chemistry laboratory.

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