GE Safety Awareness

8/9/2019 GE Safety Awareness

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6Copyright 2009 General Electric Company. All Rights Reserved.

Springfield, Illinois - City Water, Light and Power - Dallman Unit 31 Nov. 10, 2007

Westinghouse Unit trips. Throttle and control valves close but not completely. Blue Blush issues causes pilot

valves not to seat, Throttle valve remained open .016 when valves showed closed. #1 control valve doesntseat due to a jamming #2 valve stem.

Generator breaker opens. Within 30 seconds of unit trip, machine accelerates to an estimated 6,000 RPM

Within 39 seconds, major damage to the turbine, the complete destruction of the generator, a hydrogenexplosion, significant damage to building structures, and the destruction of three transformers takes place.

Understanding Site Hazards


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Around Units Operating Hot Pipes/valves: Hot instrument sensing lines (GE

or station). If the pressure transmitter has a smallleak on a steam line, there will be no water leg andthe sensing line will be extremely hot. Skin burns.

Water Hammer causing pipes to shift positionviolently. Damage to piping, hangars.

X-rays: If welding is being done then they may betaking x-rays. Ask and stay away. We had anincident where the x-ray areas were not roped off.

Steam leaks, piping leaks, spills

Fatigue, Heat Exhaustion : Temperatures at the DAlevel of over 120F on the handrails. Many timeswell over 100F on the turbine deck.

Rotating BOP Equipment, Energized Equipment

Thermowells: Incident where compressed air wasused to clean out a TW on a hot, operating unit. The

cold air weakened the TW and it failedlarge steamleak, could have killed someone. Never inject coldair into a hot TWbest to do TW work when unit iscold and offline.

Witness Points: Asbestos insulation. Dont disturbinsulation of unknown composition.

Pressure Transmitters: Station pressure transmittersensing line compression fittings (i.e. 1/2" Swagelokconnections). An incident occurred where thecompression fitting on station HP FW transmitter(~1500psia) was not seated correctly. When our ISattempted to tap into the drain to install ourpressure transmitter the line blew apart.

Isolation: Valve packing can blow out whentightening valves. Never stand in front of the valve,always to the side. Make sure the operatortightening the valve does not stand over the valvehead. We do NOT open or close any station valves!

Remote location: The ST engineers are always outon our own for isolation reviews (top of boiler, undercondenser, etc). Could be very easy to get hurt andno one being able to find you for hours. Make surepeople know the general location of where you willbe working. We don't travel with 2 way radio's butwe can get these at most plants.



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Southern Company Yates #7 - January 2003

During outage the left side MS inlet piping was found to have bulged.



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Texas - WAP Unit #8 July 2003

Piece of RH pipe traveled over Admin Building an estimated 400+ yards, before hitting and bringing down two

(2) 345 kV transmission lines and falling in parking lot.



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Ghent Unit #1 January 2009

Westinghouse unit, blows the lid off a Intercept valve. Note the valve is sitting on top of the turbine. The unit

ran a year with the wrong size nuts on the studs.



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Air Hoses can break and whip, Machine Tools maybe operating nearby.

Cuts, Abrasions, Burns, Hearing, Eyes, Toes,Clothing. Always bring proper PPE. Plant may nothave items such as ear plugs or hard hatsavailable to borrow.

Rotating BOP Equipment, Energized Equipment,Confined Spaces, LOTO

Nuclear Plants: Hot components have been foundin the disassembly of steam turbines at PWRsplants with steam generator leaks.

Asbestos: I may be in steam piping insulation,generator insulation. Breaking steam flanges and

joint bolting may disturb and become friable.Cutting into generator insulation can makeairborne.

Atmosphere: Blast Cleaning is an extremely noisyoperation. If tent does not have negative pressure,blast media can escape to atmosphere and be very

dirty. Coal dust can be everywhere and easilydisturbed during an outage.

Fatigue, Heat Exhaustion : Temperatures can bewell over 100F on the turbine deck. High humidityenvironment, outdoor units in hot climate. Longworking hours on tight schedule. When we get

fatigued, we dont always think clearly.

Around Unit Disassembled Cranes, Rigging, Cribbing & Equipment Racks:

Heavy lifts have occurred over head with nowarning. Diaphragm racks have failed with a LPdiaphragm falling on a worker.

What are others doing around you? There can be alot of activities that can affect you. Welding,Grinding, Open Flames, Fumes, Rotor being rolled,Hi-pot of generator.

Fall hazards: Open Holes in turbine decks such asfor MSV access. Horizontal Joints openings whenunit is on the half shell. Dont immediately trustcondenser cover plating.

Trip hazards: Air hoses, power cords. Limited floorspace in many powerhouses lead to a clutteredturbine deck full of disassembled components.



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Los Barrios Station June 2008

Diaphragm racks of poor design. No lateral support, only a bolt in bottom holding the diaphragm is place. Bolt

pulled out of threads and diaphragm fell and severely injured a worker.



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St. Clair Station January 2006

Cast Iron Hood broke when rigging through the manway holes.



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Crisis Management

Tools Available in an Emergency


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GE Safety Awareness

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