WIRING AND MAINTENANCE OF PREMISES FOR SAFE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 11:03:41 +0000

By DAVIES MUPENDA

 EVERY year, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) receives a significant number of reports from electricity service providers and consumers about electrical accidents. The common types of electrical accidents are: shocks, burns and electrocutions. Let us briefly look at each of these occurrences:

1. Shock: A shock occurs when an electrical current passes through a person’s (or animal’s) body. This happens when a person touches a “live wire” and the electrical ground/earth.
2. The live wire could be any object that has been energized as a result of coming in contact with a source of electricity. An example is a laundry line coming in contact with a roof that has been energised by some source of electricity. Severity of shock depends on the path taken by electric current through the body, the amount of current and the duration of shock.
3. Burns: Burns are the most common shock related injuries. These usually occur when one touches electrical wiring or equipment that is improperly used or installed.
4. Electrocution: This is death as a result of coming in contact with electricity. It is characterised by a severe form of an electric shock. The effect of shock current is dependent on the magnitude of shock current. Currents above 1 Amp are lethal and often lead to electrocution.

The other reports received by the ERB, especially from electricity consumers, are to do with damaged electrical appliances, or burnt houses and other buildings. Often, the consumers reporting to the ERB are seeking some form of compensation from the service provider, or operator of the electricity service, and their claim has failed hence the complainants escalating their claim or complaint to the regulator.

The ERB promptly investigates these reported incidents to establish if there was any deviation from standards on the part of the service provider. As readers may be aware, the ERB has a mandate to develop standards for the energy sector and to monitor the performance of undertakings (service providers) in the energy sector to ensure they operate in accordance with purposes for which they were established.

Where an incident or accident happens as a result of the electricity operator’s negligence, the ERB uses its powers, as provided for in the Zambian laws, and the licences issued to the particular operator, to order the operator to take remedial action or penalises the operator.

Contrary to popular belief, electricity consumers whose property is damaged as a result of the electricity service provider’s negligence can be, and are, compensated.

However, in most cases it is found that it is the consumer who is at fault when an electrical accident happens and at the centre of this is poor wiring of consumer’s premises. In this article, therefore, we take time to look at how electricity consumers can ensure their houses or other premises, are properly wired and kept safe for connection to, and continued supply of, the power supply by their service providers.

Poor wiring is a common cause of electrical fires that may result in serious injury, loss of life and property. There are four main areas of concern that have been identified regarding the wiring and maintenance of premises:

1. Use of unqualified electricians. Some people engage anyone who claims to know how to wire a house or other premises without verifying the qualifications or competence of that person. Among the major requirements for passing premises as safe for supply of power is ensuring that the property/building is properly earthed. This is to prevent shocks, fires, and electrocutions in case of any disturbances in the electricity supply system such as interference from lightening, higher voltage supply after an outage, and so on. During wiring of premises and at all times, all properties should have lightening arresters properly installed. Remember safety of humans and property is at stake whenever you are using electricity.
2. Use of wrong materials. Some people use unsuitable wires, such as telephone line cables when wiring their premises. Wrong types of wires can cause overheating and lead to electrical fires. Other people use plastic paper to insulate naked wires, especially at connection points. Remember ‘cheap is expensive’.
3. Illegal connection of power. Illegal connection of power, that is, having access to electricity supply without the consent of the electricity company, is very dangerous because it is often done by unqualified people, and is hastily done (often under cover) and using wrong materials and hence accidents are often reported from such connections. Besides, illegal connection or theft of electricity, is a serious offence under Zambian laws.
4. Failure to have wiring of premises re-inspected by electricity service provider. Before a house or premises is connected to power supply, it is supposed to be inspected by the service provider. The service provider must, among other things, be satisfied with the wiring of the premises and the competence of the electrician who installed the wiring. The service provider then issues a ‘pass certificate’ to its new customer (consumer) who must keep the certificate as safely as possible for any future reference.

However, it must be stated emphatically that the initial wiring and pass of the wiring does not mean that the premises is forever safe for continuous provision of electricity. Wires get worn out over time and thus can pose a danger to users of electricity such as shocks and causing electrocutions or electrical fires. It is therefore imperative that all premises are re-inspected every five years to ensure they conform to safety and quality standards.

Readers should note that while the service provider can undertake re-inspection of all structures to which it supplies power, it is the consumer’s responsibility to ensure that their premises are re-inspected by the service provider every five years or if consumers notice something unusual about electricity supply such as when they experience shocks or frequent power supply disruptions. The re-inspection is meant to check for wear and tear of insulation and to enable the consumer make replacements where necessary.

In this vein, the ERB wishes to place on record its endorsement and commendation of the ‘Save a Life Campaign’ being undertaken on the Copperbelt in Kitwe’s Wusakile and Chamboli townships and in Kantanshi and other townships in Mufulira by ZESCO. Under this programme, ZESCO staff are inspecting every house for compliance with standards. Where anomalies are identified the consumer is advised on the corrective measures to be undertaken within a particular timeframe.

However, where the possibility of serious danger exists, such as where current flow is detected in iron roofing sheets and other metallic objects connected to the house, the premises in question are immediately disconnected. It is safer to be inconvenienced for a day or two to prevent loss of property or, more importantly, life. The identified townships are where a lot of incidents and accidents are reported every year especially during the rainy season.

5. Lack of understanding of supply conditions. A lot of consumers think that whenever an electrocution takes place or property is damaged, or burnt, then the service provider is responsible for the damage. However, there is need for electricity consumers to carefully read the conditions of supply which are provided by the service provider. The conditions clearly outline the roles of the service provider and the consumer, additionally stating where each party’s responsibility ends.

It is important to note that the conditions are approved by the ERB to ensure there is a level playing field between the supplier and the consumers of electricity. The conditions of supply in fact are in line with the Zambian Electricity Supply – Quality of Service Standard (ZS 397). Like earlier stated, sometimes, electrical accidents happen through the negligence of the consumers.

Other examples of poor or unsafe practices pertaining to the usage of electricity include the following:

1. a) Tempering with the wiring, including earthing.
2. b) Illegal connections, including extensions to new structures such as chicken runs, and ‘cabins’, stalls (tuntemba) or new houses built on same premises after initial inspection by the service provider.
3. c) Laundry lines connected to roofing trusses or power supply poles/cables.
4. d) Use of naked (uninsulated) wires, especially within houses or extensions.
5. e) Use of faulty electrical appliances such as those without plugs, and partially damaged sockets and plugs.
6. f) Overloading the electricity supply system, for instance having too many extension cables and appliances connected at the same time.
7. g) Lack of Fusing. A fuse is a device that can limit the current flowing to any appliance or circuit. For example, a fuse designed to carry an electric current of 5 Amps will melt if a current of more than 5 Amps passes through it. When the fuse melts, the circuit is broken.

Homemade appliances such as improvised cookers (with stove plate placed on bricks and connected directly to a socket) and water heaters normally lack the use of a plug with a fuse; instead naked wires are inserted into the socket outlet.

If the appliance developed a fault, the user would not be protected from electric shock and electrocution. Fuses should never be bypassed or replaced with those of higher ratings. The right rating fuse must be used at all times.

What is being done to enhance safe wiring of buildings in Zambia?

With the rising number of electrical accidents and incidents some of interventions are being taken. The key ones include the following:

• Electricity service providers such as ZESCO and the regulator (ERB) conduct sensitisation campaigns on safe use of electricity from time to time. The platforms used include road shows, community meetings, newspaper/newsletter articles, radio and television programmes, brochures, fliers, and physical inspections; and
• Through the Electricity Supply Industry Safety Liaison Committee, the ERB and other stakeholders have come up with measures to enhance safety.

The Wiring of Premises Standard, ZS791, has been developed by the Safety Liaison Committee. This standard, which is now part of the licence to electricity service suppliers, will greatly help improve the wiring standards and reduce on electrical accidents in Zambia. In future articles we will look at the salient points of the Wiring of Premises Standard. However readers should note that the standard, like any other Zambian standard, is available at a small fee from the Zambia Bureau of Standards.

Measures to avoid electrical accidents

In addition to measures being taken by service providers and the regulator, the consumer/customer should also observe the following:

1. Ensure proper earthing is done from the main Circuit Breaker with the earth wire being passed through a PVC conduit pipe.
2. If not sure about the quality of the earthing, ensure to stand on a dry rubber mat/spread while using an electric cooker or washing dishes from a running water tap.
3. Avoid inserting naked wires without plugs into socket outlets.
4. Do not use broken or damaged switches, sockets, plugs or any other broken electrical equipment.
5. Avoid connecting laundry lines to roof tops. In other words, connect laundry lines especially metallic ones (uninsulated wires) to wooden or metallic poles that are standing on their own without any connection to the roof of the house.
6. If you have a power supply pole mounted in your yard, avoid using the stay wire connected to the pole as a laundry line.
7. Ensure children do not play with electricity wires or installations.
8. Install service entry surge protectors. These are best installed in the main Distribution Box of the house at the point of entry of the service cable.
9. A secondary measure can be to install plug-in point surge protectors. These are adapters with surge protection capabilities usually plugged in to a socket outlet. The home appliance is then plugged into the surge protected adaptor. Consumers are advised to buy surge protectors from reputable suppliers.
10. To ensure efficient operation of the surge protection equipment, ensure that you have a properly installed earthing system on your premises.
11. In instances of excessive lightening during the rainy season, it is recommended that all electrical appliances be disconnected. This is because the lightening surge can rise to levels above which the installed surge arresters are designed to manage.

What to do in case of an electrical accident (not listed in sequential order):

1. Disconnect the supply.
2. Avoid touching the victim, directly or using metallic or wet wooden objects.
3. Avoid stepping on wet ground without wearing shoes.
4. Report to the fire brigade and your service provider if the accident is major.
5. In case of injuries or death, report to the Police and obtain a Police Report.
6. Lodge claim for compensation, where you are convinced that it was the fault of the service provider, to the respective service provider.
7. If not satisfied with the response from your service provider, report the matter to the ERB.
8. Remember to insure your house and all valuable electrical appliances.

The author serves as Consumer and Public Affairs Manager at the Energy Regulation Board based at Kitwe Office.  Views expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of the ERB Board and Management. For comments, or clarification, contact the ERB on toll free line 8484 or e-mail erb@erb.org.zm