Isolate and replace a tenancy switchboard

You are a fourth year apprentice electrician working under the Leading Hand Electrician.

Simulated workplaceIntermediate missionCAQA Voltline Electrical

What is going on

Tallowood Shopping Village has approved the replacement of the tenancy 14 main switchboard, job J-26-1179, for a new cafe fit-out. The outage window agreed with centre management is 6:00 am to 10:00 am on Sunday 14 September. The existing board is fed from the centre's main switchroom, but a sub-main to tenancy 15 also passes through it, and a small solar inverter for the tenancy feeds back into the board. The existing board panel may contain asbestos and a sample is being tested. Instrument MFT-04 is due for calibration within thirty days. The Leading Hand wants a complete isolation plan and job safety analysis before the day.

Tessa Okonjo, Electrical Contracting Manager
Subject: Tallowood tenancy 14 switchboard replacement on Sunday

The tenancy 14 switchboard replacement, job J-26-1179, is on for Sunday 14 September with an outage window of 6:00 am to 10:00 am agreed with centre management. I need you to plan and run the isolation with Ryan: identify every source into that board, including the neighbouring tenancy's sub-main that runs through it, complete the job safety analysis and isolation record, and make sure MFT-04 is calibrated before you rely on it. Read the safe isolation procedure again before you start. The asbestos sample result should be back Thursday.

Your brief

Plan the isolation of every supply source to the tenancy 14 switchboard, complete the job safety analysis and isolation record, confirm the instruments are in calibration, plan the replacement sequence within the outage window, and describe how the new board will be tested before it is energised, all in line with the safe isolation procedure and the testing and certification policy.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the safe isolation, lock out and test for dead procedure and the job safety analysis form, and review job J-26-1179 on the job board.
List every source of supply to the tenancy 14 board, including the sub-main to tenancy 15 and the solar inverter, and identify the isolation point for each using the site drawings and a site walk.
Complete the job safety analysis form with the hazards, including possible asbestos in the old panel, the controls and the isolation points, locks and tags for each source.
Check the instrument register for MFT-04 and decide whether it can be used or whether another calibrated tester must be booked, and record your decision on the job.
Write the sequence for the outage: notify affected tenants, isolate and lock each source, test for dead every conductor, remove the old board, install the new board and reconnect.
Describe the mandatory tests to be carried out on the new board before it is energised and prepare the test results and commissioning sheet ready for the day.
Update job J-26-1179 with the isolation plan, the supervising electrician and the outage notifications sent, and set the status to Scheduled.
Prepare a five minute pre-start briefing for the crew using the toolbox talk points from the shared neutral notice.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Completed job safety analysis and isolation record for the outage
Written isolation and replacement sequence with sources, isolation points and tests
Instrument decision recorded on the job with the register check
Prepared test results and commissioning sheet

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.