Method Statement for Earthing, Bonding and Lightning Protection Installation and Testing

What is the Method Statement for Earthing, Bonding, and Lightning Protection Installation and Testing?

This Method Statement describes the sequence of activities involved in the installation of Earthing, Bonding, and Lightning Protection as per the requirements derived from the Scope of Work, Contract Specifications, Codes, and Standards of the project.

Free Convertible Template-Method Statement for Installation and Testing of Earthing, Bonding, and Lightning Protection

1. PURPOSE

This Method Statement formalizes the requirements for Earthing, Bonding, and Lightning protection. The specifications, procedures, and guidelines contained in this Method Statement specify the technical requirements to be followed and also act as a reference to clearly establish defined standards for work assessment. 

Moreover, this document shall provide guidelines to check that specified materials are installed and agreed procedures are implemented during the execution of work and to define the responsibilities for controlling the execution.

2. SCOPE

This Method Statement describes the sequence of activities involved in the installation of Earthing, bonding, and Lightning Protection as per the requirements derived from the Scope of Work, Contract Specifications, Codes, and Standards of the project titled under: “Name of Project here”

3. DESCRIPTION

• The main purpose of earthing in the electrical network is for safety. When all metallic parts in electrical equipment are grounded then if the insulation inside the equipment fails there are no dangerous voltages present in the equipment case.
• To maintain the voltage at any part of an electrical system at a known value so as to prevent overcurrent or excessive voltage on the appliances or equipment.
• Lightning, line surges, or unintentional contact with higher voltage lines can cause dangerously high voltages to the electrical distribution system. Earthing provides an alternative path around the electrical system to minimize damage to the system.
• Efficient earthing and lightning protection are provided for Equipment Earthing, Fire Fighting Equipment, Motors Earthing, Main Switchboards, Switchgears, Motor Control Centres Earthing, Distribution Boards Earthing, Bus-Duct Feeders Earthing, Cable Armour  Earthing, earthing for road lighting poles, columns, busbars, etc.
• For Testing and Commissioning, a separate T & C Method Statement shall be provided by the T&C department.
• This method statement for earthing, bonding, and lightning protection installation and testing can be used in conjunction with the tower crane installation.

4. DEFINITIONS

Client – (Name of Client here)
Project Management – (Name of Project Management here)
Construction Supervision Consultant (CSC) – (Name of Consultant here)
Contractor – (Name of Contractor here)
Supplier/Vendor/Manufacturer – Seller of material as defined in the project specification
Must – Signifies a legal or statutory requirement
Shall – Signifies a requirement made mandatory by this specification
May – Signifies a feature, which is discretionary in the context in which it is applied
Will – Signifies feature that the supplier may assume to be already present

5. REFERENCES

Specifications for Lightning Protection
Specifications for Earthing and Bonding
BS 7430 Code of Practice for Protective Earthing of Electrical Installations
BS 6651 Code of Practice for Protection of Structures against Lightning
IEEE 142 Grounding of Industrial and Commercial Power System
Approved material submittals
Approved shop drawings

6. ABBREVIATIONS

HSE – Health Safety and Environment
QA/QC – Quality Assurance and Quality Control
MST – Method Statement
RSK – Risk Assessment
ITP – Inspection and Test Plan
PQP –  Project Quality Plan
INR – Inspection Request
PPE – Personnel Protective Equipment
T&C – Testing and Commissioning

7. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. General

1. Project Manager (MEP) will be responsible to manage, executing, completing, and handover the construction activities within approved budgets and resources in compliance with Project Requirements as specified in Project Specifications. He will be overall in charge of implementing Method Statement in accordance with QA/QC and HSE requirements.
2. Construction Manager will be responsible for managing construction activities and will lead and communicate with site Supervision, Subcontractors, and Vendors to assist them in working to the Project Schedule by conforming to QA/QC and HSE requirements at the site.
3. HSE Manager will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing issues and directives within the organization. He ensures safe environmental working conditions for all employees.
4. QA/QC Manager will be responsible for supporting the project team in implementing and maintaining Quality Management System for the project through PQP, ITP, MST, and Procedures in compliance with Project specifications, Codes, and Standards.
5. HSE Officer will ensure the enforcement of safety procedures in accordance with the approved HSE Plan. Will be closely monitoring the site engineer’s strict implementation of the MS and Risk Assessment, the use of proper tools and equipment to maintain safety, certifications of equipment and their adherence to safety regulations, reporting of any unsafe work, or stopping work that does not comply with HSE procedures.
6. Site Engineer will be responsible for carrying out all construction-related activities in compliance to HSE and QAQC requirements as per contract specifications, drawings/documents, codes, and standards.
7. QA/QC Engineer will be responsible for conducting inspections as per PQP.
8. Supervisor/Foreman will be responsible for coordinating all works and workers related to the job.
9. Electrician / other tradesmen will be responsible for assisting his superiors during all construction work-related activities following HSE and QAQC requirements.
10. Store In-charge receives and inspects all incoming materials and reconciles them with documents; processes and distributes documentation; reports, documents, and tracks damages and discrepancies.
11. The security guard will be clearly visible, and vigilant, respond quickly and correctly during the crisis, observe and report, check and monitor, maintain order among workers, and offer safety warnings and tips.

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B. Organizational Chart

C. Interfacing with other operations

Other Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing works and Architectural, Civil, and Structural requirements

D. Duration, Phasing with the Subcontractors

All works associated with Construction work referred to in this Method Statement shall be completed as per the project schedule.

E. List of Subcontractors

Main Contractor: (Name of Contractor here)
Subcontractors for MEP: (Name of Subcontractor here)

F. Handling and Storage

F-1. Workmanship

• The laydown area shall be arranged for offloading the materials prior to transport at the site.
• The storage area shall be cleaned and is at a minimum height of 1 ft from the ground level. The materials shall be stored in a shaded area to protect them from exposure to direct sunlight/rain etc. Separate areas in the storage zone must be marked for different materials.
• Slings used to lift the materials must be checked for damages and defects. Slings shall not be shortened with knots and bolts or other makeshift devices. Slings should not be kinked and should not be loaded in excess of their safe working load. Slings shall be padded or protected from the sharp edges of their load.
• All employees shall be kept clear of the load about to be lifted and of the suspended load. Hands and fingers shall not be placed between the slings and their load while the sling is being tightened around the load. Slings shall not be pulled from under a load when the load is resting on the sling. Always use two-point loading to avoid load slipping.
• The forklift must be third-party certified and fit for the purpose. Ensure that forklift operators must be qualified, trained, and with a valid license. Ensure daily inspection of forklifts has been carried out prior to commencement of work.

F-2. Responsibilities

• The Store in charge shall ensure that all approved supplies be delivered to the site as per the approved material submittal with the manufacturer’s seals, labels, or other proof of origin intact. These labels and seals shall not be removed until the material is required for use and shall be retained for inspection by the Consultant and QA/QC.
• Each material item shall be allotted a distinct and separate reference number and mentioned on the material requisition. Make sure that material is approved/examined by the Consultant and QAQC and that associated documents/test certificates are approved.
• The Site Engineer shall be responsible for the off-loading and handling of the materials on-site and shall ensure that materials delivered to the site are properly protected against mechanical damage.

8. RESOURCES

A. Tools and Equipment

1. Electrician hand tools set.
2. Multimeter
3. Electric resistance tester
4. Continuity tester
5. Screwdriver sets
6. Cable cutter
7. Calibrated Megger.
8. Crane
9. Forklift

Note:

• All testing equipment and measuring tools to be used shall have valid calibration certificates prior to usage.
• All lifting equipment and machines shall be 3rd party verified with valid certificates.

B. Materials

The material shall be used after being approved by Approved Material Submittals. Generally, the following material items shall be used during installation. Earth Continuity Conductors, Main Earth Loops, Rod Electrodes, Earth Connectors, Removable Earth Links, Bolts, Washers and Nuts, and Earth Pit Cover.

C. Site Preparation and Planning

C.1 Preparation

The contractor shall ensure that all gate passes, permits, tools, materials for safety precautions, manpower, and equipment are available before the commencement of work. The Site Team shall make sure that access roads are always clear from any obstruction and site is always accessible.

C.2 Site clearance

Before commencing the work, the area shall be cleared of all debris, materials, or other obstructions.

C.3 Traffic Management

The Site Team with the assistance of the Safety Officers shall coordinate logistics and materials movement through the site following the direction and road signs displayed on site. The required diversion routes shall be marked on drawings including the required traffic signs. The Work Permits and Operator Certificates shall be compiled and filed for reference by authorized personnel. Temporary traffic signs, barriers, and flagmen will be deployed to control traffic flow in accordance with and Traffic Management of the HSE Plan. At the end of each ramp, there will be a transition area to give the driver the opportunity to watch the access roads before joining thereto.

C.4 Pre-construction Safety Meetings: 

• The meeting shall be scheduled prior to the beginning of the work and before any Subcontractor starts on the project.
• Safety awareness meetings will be conducted every working day morning/every other day to brief the workforce on safety prevention measures. The equipment check for safety shall be recorded/ documented during the daily Safety Awareness Meeting. Traffic safety will be discussed to emphasize these meetings.
• Each worker will be instructed to follow specific safety requirements related to his trade.
• They will be required to follow installed safety signs, observe barricades and use PPEs.
• Contractor Safety will perform hazard risk analysis by identifying all steps, and hazards identified in those steps, with a focus on the relationship between the work task, the tools, and the work environment. After identifying uncontrolled hazards; the Contractor will take steps to eliminate or reduce them to an acceptable risk level.
• General Contractual Safety, Health, and Environmental Requirements.
• Roles of the contractor, subcontractors, authorized representatives, and all project workers.
• Accident reporting requirements.
• Specific details of the work to be performed along with the use of personal protective equipment.
• Emergency procedure.

C.5 Operating Procedures:

A site investigation has to be carried out to develop safety precautions and measures prior to the commencement of the work. After such investigation, relevant signboards will be displayed and barricades will be installed where and as necessary, such as but not limited to the following:

• Relevant information, advanced signs, warning, and mandatory signs will be placed as required.
• Radio Communication systems would be used where normal communication is impossible.
• After completion of the work, safety cones and barricades have to be removed accordingly.

9. PROCEDURE

A. Pre Installation

• All relevant documentation, approved shop drawings, and material applicable to a particular section of work will be checked by Site Engineer prior to the commencement of work.
• Ensure that the material received is in compliance with the project specifications and is approved.
• Ensure that all required materials and accessories are delivered, inspected, and approved by Consultant and are readily available at the site to carry out the work.
• Prior to the commencement of work, areas and access will be inspected to confirm that the site is ready to commence the work.
• All relevant documentation, approved shop drawings, and material applicable to a particular section of work will be checked by Site Engineer prior to the commencement of work.
• The Site Engineer/Site Supervisor will give necessary instructions to tradesmen (Electrical) and provide necessary approved construction/shop drawings.
• The Site Engineer/Site Foreman will check that proper tools and equipment are available to carry out the work and are in compliance with contract specifications.
• The Site Engineer will explain to his team about HSE precautions to be observed.
• The Site Engineer/Foreman ensures the cleanliness of the area.

B. Installation
B.1 Installation of Earthing and Bonding:

B.1.1 Bolted Connection

1. Circuit Wiring shall have a green/yellow colored insulated earth continuity cable connecting the earth bus or earth terminal in switchboards, switchgear, motor control centers, and panel boards to the motor, equipment, outlet, and other devices by earthing lugs. All handrails and other metal works within 2 m of a potentially live metal surface shall be earthed.
2. For Main Earth Loops the following shall be fixed.

• Copper tape to structure with copper or brass saddles and/or screws. Make tees and straight joints by riveting and seating.
• In mechanical equipment rooms and other areas indicated on the drawings, in convenient locations, allowing two return paths to earth.
• Prepare branch connections between the main loop and major equipment, such as switchboards, switchgear, motor control centers, and large motors, with copper tape as the main loop tape. Make other branch connections to equipment with copper conductors of size not less than half that of the relative phase conductor.
• Removable Earth Links shall be installed in an accessible position, above ground as close as possible to the earth electrode. Also, a fix in every main earth leads enables the electrode system to be disconnected for testing.
• Exposed Earth Cables; install and locate in a manner to provide maximum mechanical protection, utilizing ceiling corners, suspended ceiling & webs of beams as much as possible.
• Bolted Connections: Multiple bolt type. Where bare copper is bolted in connections contact surfaces shall be silver electroplated.
• Where earthing terminal connections are to be brazed to equipment, thoroughly clean metal prior to brazing and repaint impaired surfaces to prevent corrosion.
• Connections Between Dissimilar Metals shall be protected by painting with a moisture-resistant bituminous paint/compound or wrapping with protective tape to exclude moisture.
• Equipment Earthing; Connections shall be made for all non-current carrying metallic parts of the electrical/mechanical installation to the earthing system. Series earthing of one piece of equipment to another is not acceptable. Each item shall be individually connected to the earth system.
• For Fire Fighting Equipment, earth on a separate ring system.
• For Motors Earthing the motor terminal box shall be connected to the relative earth loop. The terminal must be mechanically connected to the frame or, where this is not feasible extend the earthing conductor through an insulated bushed opening in the connection box and connect to the frame.
• For the Earthing of Main Switchboards, Switchgear, and Motor Control Centres connection shall be followed in a manner that connects the special earthing lug or busbars inside the cabinet to the main earth copper tape.
• Distribution Boards Earthing shall be connected in such a way that earthing conductor from the main distribution earth busbar shall be connected to an earth connector welded to the cabinet and earthing bushings on the incoming and outgoing feeder conduits.
• For Bus-Duct Feeders Earthing, the connection shall be like that of the green/yellow coded earth busbar directly to the earth bus bar in the main switchboard with earth copper tape.
• For Cable Armour Earthing, steel armor shall be connected to the earthing system.
• Earth Rod electrodes (extensible rods) of the same diameter shall be installed in holes drilled into the ground. If ground conditions permit, rods may be driven into the ground either manually/mechanically. The earth electrode shall be installed at a reasonable depth.
• A concrete/PVC earth pit, cast iron, or PVC cover shall be provided (after approval), at the head of the earth rod, to protect the rod and allow access to connections for testing.
• The resistance of any point in the earth’s continuity system to the main earth electrode shall not exceed 1 ohm unless approved otherwise by Authorities.
• Bonding shall be provided for all metallic conduits and trunking, cable trays. Also for all electrical devices and equipment with accessible metallic parts including cabinets and lighting fixtures.

B.1.2 Welded Connection

1. Exothermic Welding. Bare Copper cables shall be laid under the foundation structure of the building, directly below blinding in direct contact with the soil, and main earthing conductors are connected to earth mesh.

• Where bare copper is welded as per the approved design and calculations, the following steps are to be followed as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Exothermic welding is a simple method of making permanent, very high-quality electrical connections. The process uses the high-temperature reaction of copper oxide and aluminum, within a semi-permanent graphite mold, to form electrical connections mainly between copper to copper or copper to steel.
• No outside source of power or heat is required. Making a joint is a simple procedure that requires a mold, weld powder, handle clamp, retaining disks, flint gun, and various tools and cleaning accessories. The steps are the following: (Refer to the diagram for details.)
• Position cleaned conductors in the mold after ensuring mold is dry, by pre-heating or making a test joint.
• Lock mold with a handle clamp and place the metal retaining disc in the bottom of mold crucible.
• Pour weld powder into the mold and place a small amount of starting powder on edge of mould for easy ignition. 
• Close mold lid securely.
• Ignite starting powder using a flint gun.
• The reaction takes place. Wait several seconds to allow the metal to solidify before opening mold.
• Remove the weld and clean mold carefully before making the next connection.
• Installation of Lightning Protection:
  • Removable Earth Links shall be fixed in every main earth lead to enable the electrode system to be disconnected for testing. These shall be installed in an accessible position, above ground as close as possible to the earth electrode.
  • Bolted Connections shall be multiple bolt types and where bare copper is bolted in connections contact surfaces shall be silver electroplated.
  • Where connections between dissimilar metals, shall be protected by painting with a moisture-resistant bituminous paint or compound or wrapping with protective tape.
  • Extensible rods of the same diameter shall be installed in holes drilled into the ground. If ground conditions permit, rods may be driven into the ground either manually or mechanically. The earth electrode shall be installed at a reasonable depth that penetrates the summer water table by a minimum of 2 meters. Under no circumstances shall lightning protection electrodes be connected to an earthing electrode. A minimum distance of 7 meters shall be provided between any lightning earth electrode and earth electrode.
  • Weld earth connectors to the top of rods are insufficient to make the connection with incoming cables.
  • A concrete/PVC earth pit, cast iron, or PVC cover shall be provided (after approval), at the head of the earth rod, to protect the rod and allow access to connections for testing.

10. HEALTH, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENT

A. HSE Risk Assessment

Please refer to the attached document in Appendix A.

B. Permit and Licensing Requirements

The required permit to work shall be obtained prior to the commencement of work. This shall be coordinated with HSE.

C. Pre-Start Safety Briefing Arrangements

C.1 Protective and Safety Equipment

All workers involved shall be equipped with adequate PPE as stated below:

• Safety Helmet with Company Logo
• Safety Boots
• High Visibility Vest
• Safety Goggles
• Hand Gloves
• Coveralls
• High voltage gloves
• High voltage Rubber Mat
• Proper safety harness

C.2 Information to Personnel

• Safety Induction
• Job training
• Superintendents Notices/Memos
• Toolbox talks
• STARRT Card

C.3 Special Safety Requirements:

• All necessary personal/protective equipment (PPE), as well as a harness, is to be provided.
• Rigging Team, wearing distinctive vests, shall be assigned to help operators maneuver the equipment.
• The equipment operators shall possess the required licenses and certificates.
• Generated dust shall be controlled by periodic water spraying.
• The required permit to work shall be obtained prior to the commencement of work.
• The project safety officer is responsible along with the project zone site engineer for ensuring that all operations are carried out with due regard to the safety of all project personnel & property.
• Working at height to be monitored with due care.
• In case of working at night, please refer to Method Statement for Night Works

Emergency Procedures

11. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

A. Quality Assurance Requirements

• The contractor shall provide the required documents for the Consultant’s approval prior to initiating the execution of this activity as per the project specification.
• The Quality Control requirement shall include related to ITPs and other related documents as applicable.
• Refer to Inspection Test Plan (See Attachment B)
• Applicable codes and standards referenced for materials and installation in Method Statement for Earthing, Bonding, and Lightning Protection Installation and Testing.
• Project Specifications

B. Quality Assurance Process

• The contractor shall notify the Engineer 24 hours in advance prior to the start of activity and Comments from the site Instruction will be complied with to the satisfaction of the consultant.

C. Follow-up and Evaluation

• Follow-up on quality performance shall be carried out through an in-house monitoring system such as progress reporting to the planning department, and daily, weekly, and monthly reports generated by the planning department to closely monitor site performance in general and reflect on quality performance in specific.
• All of the above shall be conducted in close coordination with the quality department to monitor any deviations from the Quality Management System requirement and induce corrective actions whenever required to eliminate non-conformance or quality deviations.

D. Records

• Inspection and Test Reports (ITR)
• Checklists (CKL)
• Inspection Request (INR)
• Other Project related reports.

12. ATTACHMENTS

Appendices
Appendix A: HSE Risk Assessment
Appendix B: Inspection and Test Plan
Appendix C: Checklist for Earthing-Above Ground Installation
Appendix D: Checklist for Earthing -Under-Ground Installation
Appendix E: Checklist for Lightning Protection Installation
Appendix F: Inspection & Test Report- Earth Resistance & Continuity Test
Appendix G: Permanent Material Delivered Approval Form

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