SS 576 : 2012 KEY REQUIREMENTS

AND APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

Presented by : Er Joseph Michael

Part 1 - Key Requirements of SS

576 : 2012

Identification of Key Stakeholders

The Key Stakeholders are defined in Section 3 Definitions of SS 576

: 2012
Transmission Agent Licensee SP PowerGrid Ltd (SPPG);
Principal;
Contractor;
Registered Earthworks Supervisor;

Licensed Cable Detection Worker (LCDW); and

REO (Registered Excavator Operator) & PREO (Provisional REO).
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General Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders

The general responsibilities are outlined in Section 5.1
The Principal, the Contractor and the LCDW :
Familiarization with the legislation Electricity Act ( Cap 89A);
Familiarization with the process of consultation with the Transmission Agent
Licensee with respect to:
i) cable detection work;
ii) cable diversion; and
iii) protection schemes for cables;
Familiarization with Table 2; and
Response in the event of a cable damage or emergency situation.
The Principal and the Contractor :
Must put in place a Permit-to-Work System for carrying out earthworks at the
worksite.
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Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders

Transmission Agent Licensee

The responsibilities of the Transmission Agent Licensee are elaborated in

Section 5.2
Provide cable route plans upon request;
Put in place a system to accept Notice of Commencement of Earthworks
(NCEs);
Conduct site meetings with Contractor;
Issue a Letter of Requirements advising the Contractor of measures to be
implemented to prevent damage to high voltage cables;
Visit the site periodically;
Investigate all cases of cable damage and acts of non-compliance by
Contractors; and
Submit Investigation Case Files to EMA, the regulator.

Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders - Principal

The responsibilities of the Principal are elaborated in Section 5.3

Specify in the contract documents

1)that their Contractors shall obtain cable route plans from TAL; and
2)engage a LCDW to do cable detection work prior to commencement
of earthworks;
Include in the contract documents that their Contractors shall consult
the TAL whenever they propose to do earthworks; and
Implement a Permit-to-Work System to monitor and control
earthworks within their site.

Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders - Contractor

The responsibilities of the Contractor are elaborated in Section 5.4

Compliance with the Electricity Act, SS 576 : 2012 and requirements of TAL ;

Engagement of the services of the LCDW;

Engagement of the services of the REO & PREO;
Submission of NCE to TAL for High Voltage cables;
Submission of Schedule of Construction Activities to TAL;
Do Risk Assessment in compliance with the WSHA;

Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders - Contractor

The responsibilities of the Contractor are elaborated in Section 5.4

Provide free access to TAL to inspect their cables;

Conduct briefing sessions for employees;

Make Trial Hole Information available to TAL;

Make Cable Detection Report available to TAL; and
Ensure security of site and that no unauthorized earthworks is carried out.

Specific Responsibilities of Key StakeholdersRegistered Earthworks Supervisor

The responsibilities of the Registered Earthworks Supervisor are
elaborated in Section 5.5
Ensure that LCDW marks detected cables on site;

Ensure that the Permit-to-Work and the cable detection plans are prominently
displayed or readily available for inspection;
Ensure that Trial Holes are manually dug;

Check that REOs and PREOs have valid registration cards;

Conduct periodic checks during excavation works and consult LCDW or TAL
when in doubt;

Specific Responsibilities of Key StakeholdersRegistered Earthworks Supervisor

The responsibilities of the Registered Earthworks Supervisor are

elaborated in Section 5.5
When a cable damage occurs, Earthworks Supervisor shall stop excavation
works
immediately and inform TAL, LCDW and the Contractor;
Ensure that excavation works can only resume after obtaining clearance from
TAL;
Consult TAL in the event of overcrossing or undercrossing electricity cables;
and
Ensure that preventive measures required by TAL are implemented to protect
existing electricity cables.

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Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders - LCDW

The responsibilities of the Licensed Cable Detection Worker (LCDW) are
elaborated in Section 5.6
Submit request for cable route plans and NCD to TAL (Refer Annex E);
After cable detection work is complete, advise Contractor to submit NCE to TAL;
LCDW shall do the cable detection work personally and mark cable routes on site.
LCDW shall specify the number of Trial Holes and where they are to be dug, collate trial
hole information and produce a written cable detection report.
LCDW shall conduct a briefing for site personnel e.g. PM or CM, Site Supervisors and
Excavator Operators on the route and position of cables and preventive measures
implemented or to be implemented.

When a cable damage occurs, the LCDW shall conduct a site investigation and submit
a report on Form ROD (Annex E) to TAL.

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Specific Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders

The responsibilities of the Registered Excavator Operator (REO) / Provisional

Registered Excavator Operator (PREO) are elaborated in Section 5.7
REO or PREO shall only carry out earthworks with an excavator provided
cable detection work has been carried out by LCDW, trial holes have been
dug and a Permit-to-Work has been issued;
REO or PREO shall establish the position and route of the cable after making
reference to the cable detection drawings and markings on the ground; and
If HV cables are present underground, REO or PREO shall check with the
Earthworks Supervisor if an NCE has been submitted to the TAL.

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Works in the Vicinity of Underground Cables

Table 1 Works below ground level in the vicinity of underground cables
Types of work below ground level

Distance * (m)

Trench or other excavation works in stable ground conditions up to 1.5 m

in depth

Trench or other excavation works in stable ground conditions over 1.5 m

in and up to 5 m in depth

Trench or other excavation works in stable ground conditions over 5 m

10

Vertical penetration including sheet piling, ground investigation and any

kind of drilling or core sampling or ramming

Welding or other hot works near exposed underground cables

10

* Measurement is taken from both extreme edges of the underground cable or bunch of
cables to determine whether works will be considered to be in its vicinity.

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Cable Detection Work & Cable Detection Methods Available

Electromagnetic Location; and

Radio Frequency Passive Detection.

Outcome of cable detection work and trial hole digging is the Written Report by
LCDW.
The objective of the Written Report is to standardise the contents of the report

submitted by the LCDWs to their clients.

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Diversion or Protection of Cables

When there is a direct conflict between a proposed civil structure and an existing
cable, there are 3 options available to the Principal or Contractor:
Option 1 Consider the redesign of the civil structure and relocate it from its
originally proposed position;
Option 2 If the civil structure cannot be relocated, then the cable has to be
diverted;
Option 3 If there is sufficient clearance between the civil structure and the cable,
then an appropriate protection scheme must be implemented.

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Risk Management

Section 9 This section covers compliance with Workplace Safety and Health
Act (WSHA)
Work sites come within the definition of Workplace in the WSHA;
It is therefore mandatory for the Contractor to do a Risk Assessment and put in
place appropriate control measures to mitigate the risk;
A Risk Assessment report shall be made available to the TAL on request; and
The contractor shall communicate the control measures implemented to all
personnel at various working levels in the project team.

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Emergency Response Plan

Section 9.2 Emergency Response Plan

It is good practice for the Contractor to have in place an Emergency Response Plan and
review it at appropriate intervals;
During the course of earthworks, all site personnel must be vigilant and look out for tell-tale
signs of cable damage;
When a cable is damaged, the Earthworks Supervisor shall activate the Emergency
Response Plan to stop all earthworks activities immediately;

The Earthworks Supervisor shall inform relevant parties such as the LCDW and the TAL;
The LCDW shall conduct a site investigation and submit a report to TAL on Form ROD
( Annex E ) within 48 hours of the event;
The Contractor shall submit an Incident Report to MOM in compliance with WSHA.

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Training & Registration of Earthworks Supervisor

To enable the Registered Earthworks Supervisor to discharge his duties effectively, he

needs to undergo training.

The first run of the Earthworks Supervisor Course is expected to be rolled out in late
2013;

SPPG will manage the register of Earthworks Supervisors.

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Part 2 Applicable Legislation

The Legislative Hierarchy

ACTS

REGULATIONS

CODES OF PRACTICE
STANDARDS

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Sections of the Electricity Act Relating to Cable Damages

Section 2

Definition of Earthworks

Section 79

Applies to carrying out earthworks near LV cables

Section 80

Applies to carrying out earthworks near HV cables

Section 85(1)

Offence Clause applying to damage of HV & LV cables

Section 85(2)

Offence Clause applying to damage of HV cables

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Section 2 of the Electricity Act

Definition of Earthworks

earthworks means
(a)any act of excavating earth, rock or other material (by whatever means) in connection
with
(i) any work for or relating to the construction, reconstruction, extension,
renovation, alteration, demolition or repair of any building, road, railway, bridge,
viaduct, flyover, sewer or sewage works;
(ii) any work for or relating to the laying, inspecting, repairing or renewing of
any main, pipe, cable, fitting or other apparatuses;
(iii) any soil investigation work; or
(iv) such other works as are usually undertaken by a person carrying on
business as a contractor in the construction industry or as a
professional civil or structural engineer;
(b) any act of boring, dredging, jacking, levelling, piling or tunnelling on or
under any premises or street by any mechanical means; or
(c) the driving or sinking of any earth rod, casing or tube into the ground;

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Section 79 - Cable detection work to be carried out before earthworks

Applies to LV cables;

Normal Situation
Cable
Detection
Work
LCDW

Digging
of Trial
Holes

Consultation Earthworks
with SPPG

1
2

Contractor

1
3

4
3

TAL
(SPPG)
SPPGs
Contractor

NotificationNCD

5
4

1
1

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Section 79 - Cable detection work to be carried out before earthworks

Applies to LV cables;

Emergency Situation In the interest of public and private safety

Cable Detection
Work

Earthworks

Notification

LCDW

Contractor

1
Quick scanning
No need to
engage LCDW

Notify TAL
(SPPG) in
writing within 7
days

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Section 80 - Carrying out earthworks within vicinity of high voltage

electricity cable

Applies to HV cables ( voltage = to or > 6.6kV )

Cable
Detection
Work

LCDW

Trial
Holes

Earthworks

NCD
Notification

NCE
Notification

Consultation
with TAL

Issue of Letter
of
Requirements

Contractor

3
TAL
(SPPG)

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Sections 85(1) & 85(2) of the Electricity Act

Section 85 Damage to Property of Electricity Licensee

Section 85(1) applies to damage of LV and HV cables with wilful intent.
Section 85(2) applies to damage of HV cables.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any person who, in the course of carrying out
any earthworks, damages or suffers to be damaged any high voltage electricity
cable in the transmission network belonging to or under the management or control
of an electricity licensee shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding $1 million or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 5 years or to both.

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Electricity Act (Chapter 89A)

PENALTIES

Section No.

79

Maximum
Fine
$10,000

Maximum
Imprisonment

Remarks

1 year

Doing earthworks near LV cables without

first engaging LCDW to do cable detection
work.

80

$100,000

5 years

When doing earthworks near HV cables,

earthworks contractor fails to:
i)purchase cable plan;
ii)carry out cable detection;
iii)submit NCE to SPPG; and
iv)comply
with
SPPGs
Letter
of
Requirements.

85(1)

$10,000

3 years

Damaging a high or low voltage cable

wilfully.

85(2)

$1,000,000

5 years

Damaging a high voltage cable.

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Thank You