EN IEC 61230 Live Working - Portable Equipment for Earthing or Grounding and Short-Circuiting

The standard "EN IEC 61230 Live working - Portable equipment for earthing or earthing and short-circuiting", based on a European standard and subsequently published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), applies to portable equipment, with or without matching connection points, for temporary earthing or earthing and short-circuiting of electrically isolated or de-energized AC or DC installations, distribution and transmission networks, whether overhead or underground, low or high voltage. Guidance for application to railway systems is included in the appendix of the standard (Annex A). This standard covers equipment incorporating an earthing or short-circuiting or earthing and short-circuiting device and insulating components.

This standard also covers:

• Earthing or short-circuiting or earthing and short-circuiting devices intended to be installed in conjunction with insulating elements.
• Individual components such as clamps or cables with conductor extensions or end fittings.

The performance of equipment, devices, and components covered by this standard is based on the electrodynamic and electrothermal effects that occur during a short circuit. The withstand capacity of devices and equipment is expressed in terms of nominal values ​​for current, time, and crest factor. No nominal voltage is specified, but the geometric dimensions of the equipment also depend on the installation voltage.

Examples of grounding and short-circuiting device connection diagrams are shown in the figures provided in the standard. The general lengths of the relevant cables are given in the table titled "Typical lengths of grounding and short-circuiting cables for different types of installations and different voltage levels."

The following are outside the scope of this standard:

• Insulating tools such as insulating rods, telescopic rods, insulating handles, insulating gloves, insulating boom aerial devices, insulating ropes to be used for attaching grounding and short-circuiting device.
• Insulating components other than the basic safety requirements for the insulating element (basic safety recommendations for earthing rods are given in Annex B).
• Devices designed solely for the discharge of induced currents.
• Relevant operating procedures for grounding or using portable equipment for grounding and short-circuiting purposes.

Equipment conforming to this standard must be used in accordance with safe working procedures and local or national regulations, such as live-work or dead-work procedures.

This international standard has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of IEC 61477. Additional requirements and testing may be agreed upon between the manufacturer and the customer. These additional requirements are specified in the customer's specifications based on the acceptance procedure.

Worker safety is paramount in environments where electrical systems are installed, maintained, or repaired. One of the key protection strategies in such scenarios is the use of temporary grounding and short-circuiting devices. This standard provides globally accepted guidelines for the design, testing, and application of such equipment.

The EN IEC 61230 standard is a standard that specifies requirements for portable equipment used to temporarily ground or both ground and short-circuit electrical systems to provide protection during live work or system shutdowns.

This standard is vital for:

• To prevent electric shock hazards.
• To prevent the effects of unexpected re-energization.
• Providing a safe work area for technicians.

The EN IEC 61230 standard applies to:

• Portable equipment (devices without fixed installation).
• Low, medium and high voltage systems, generally ranging from low voltage (maximum 1 kV) to high voltage (minimum 1 kV)
• Equipment used during planned outages, maintenance, testing or emergency work.

However, this standard does not apply to:

• Permanent earthing systems.
• Equipment used in explosive atmospheres (these fall within the scope of IEC 60079 and similar IEC standards).

The EN IEC 61230 standard outlines the technical requirements and tests for various types of components:

• Grounding and short-circuiting devices: These are devices used to connect insulated conductors to ground potential. They are used to eliminate potential differences or to facilitate short-circuiting to eliminate accidental energization.
• Clamps and connectors: These provide reliable mechanical and electrical contact, resistance to corrosion, high current and temperature, and compatibility with the conductors in the system.
• Conductor cables: These should be insulated or uninsulated, depending on the design. They should have sufficient cross-sectional area to carry the fault current without damage. They should also be flame-retardant and flexible for ease of use.
• Earth connection points: These provide a safe and secure connection to the earth grid or ground electrode. They should also have a low-impedance path.

The IEC 61230 standard requires that equipment be:

• It must be resistant to thermal and dynamic stresses resulting from fault currents.
• Must maintain its integrity under mechanical stress and repeated use.
• It should be clearly marked for rated current, voltage and application class.

This standard requires the following tests:

• Dielectric testing to ensure insulation integrity.
• Temperature rise test for cable and clamp performance.
• Mechanical strength assessments (e.g. tensile and impact tests).
• Corrosion resistance testing for outdoor use.

The use of equipment compliant with EN IEC 61230 ensures:

• Correct distribution of fault currents.
• Protection against electric arcs or touch voltage.
• Ensuring that equipment failure will not result in injury or system damage.

Operators should also be trained on:

• Correct selection according to system voltage and fault current levels.
• Correct installation and removal procedures.
• Maintenance and inspection routines.

Consequently, the EN IEC 61230 standard plays a vital role in electrical safety by regulating the design and application of temporary grounding and short-circuiting devices. Compliance with this standard ensures the protection of workers during maintenance and live-line operations and the reliable operation of equipment under harsh conditions.

Our organization, which has been operating for many years and meticulously follows global developments in science and technology, employs a skilled team and extensive infrastructure to conduct testing, measurement, and analysis in a wide range of areas for businesses across all sectors. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the EN IEC 61230 "Live work - Portable equipment for grounding or earthing and short-circuiting."