HVL Safety Concept

Version: 5.4
replaces all previous versions

Author Dr. Philipp Simka Zurich

Laboratory Manager 01.08.2022
Professor Dr. Christian Franck Zurich
Group Manager 01.08.2022
HVL Safety Concept Page 2 of 30

Table of Contents
1 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 3
2 Occupational Safety......................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Risk Mitigation ......................................................................................................................... 6
3 Technical Safety ............................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Philosophy ............................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Implementation in the Lab ...................................................................................................... 7
4 Organizational Safety ...................................................................................................................... 9
4.1 Rights and Duties – Lab Hierarchy ........................................................................................... 9
4.2 Access Restriction .................................................................................................................. 10
4.3 4-Eye Principle – Inspection Obligation................................................................................. 10
4.4 Malfunctions.......................................................................................................................... 10
4.5 Training / Instruction ............................................................................................................. 10
4.6 Purchase, Maintenance and Disposal ................................................................................... 12
4.7 Signalization and Documentation ......................................................................................... 13
4.8 Experiment Design and Setup ............................................................................................... 15
4.8.1 Planning and Installation of a Completely New Test Facility ........................................ 15
4.8.2 4-Eye Principle: First Commissioning of a New Test Facility/Measuring Equipment .... 16
4.8.3 Conversion of Existing Test Facilities and Measuring Equipment ................................. 16
4.9 Unsupervised Experiments.................................................................................................... 16
4.10 Working Hours....................................................................................................................... 17
4.11 Working Alone ....................................................................................................................... 18
4.12 Good Laboratory Practice...................................................................................................... 19
5 Example Risk Assessment .............................................................................................................. 20
6 Protective Equipment .................................................................................................................... 21
7 Emergency Strategy....................................................................................................................... 22
7.1 Alarming ................................................................................................................................ 22
7.2 First Aid / Fire Fighting .......................................................................................................... 25
7.3 Reporting ............................................................................................................................... 27
8 Rooms of HVL / Important Rooms Non-HVL ................................................................................. 28
9 Version History .............................................................................................................................. 29
10 References ................................................................................................................................. 30
HVL Safety Concept Page 3 of 30

1 Summary

Principle Our common intention is to work at a safe and enjoyable workplace. We support each other
not only on a technical basis but also with safety relevant issues. The safety culture should be
lived in the group, and we hold regular discussions on best practice. The result is this general
“HVL Safety Concept” and “HVL Electric Safety” concept, which are regularly updated.
These concepts apply to everyone who works at the facilities of the High Voltage Laboratory
(HVL) of ETH Zurich (including students, interns and scientific guests). The philosophy and
measures described herein shall reduce accident probability to the lowest possible level, while
still enabling efficient working.
Each member of the HVL must confirm with their signature that they know and understand the
contents of these instructions.

Validity This document applies to all work in the laboratories of the HVL, the premises ETZ and ETL of
the ETH Zurich. A complete list of rooms can be found in chapter 8. As far as possible, it shall
also be applied to experimental activities of an HVL employee outside ETH Zurich.

Inspection Duty After setting up any kind of test circuit or assembly, a check must be carried out by the
responsible internal control person (e.g., laboratory manager or authorized inspector). A strict
dual control principle applies (4-eye principle). The inspection duty applies to setups with
certain associated risks, which are roughly quantified in section 2.1 (“roughly” means that this
quantification does not exempt anyone from applying sanity check on their setup).

Instruction The instruction of employees regarding application of the “HVL Safety Concept” is repeated
and documented periodically at least annually. At the same time, general knowledge is taught
on the subject of escape routes, emergency calls inside and outside the ETH, and how to behave
in emergency situations (e.g., fire, accident, etc.). Briefings on operating instructions are carried
out and documented individually according to the workplace and scope of work.

Responsible The safety concept and the associated training instruction shall give maximum possible
Behavior guidance for safe working in an experimental environment. However, it relies on the risk
awareness and the critical mind of the users. The rules shall not relieve the users from critical
thinking and regular sanity checks.

Reporting Safety-relevant malfunctions or defects of test or measuring equipment are to be reported

Obligation immediately to the laboratory manager. Ongoing tests must be interrupted and not continued
until repair, control and release have been completed.

Manipulations, By no means it is allowed to manipulate safety installations.

Modifications
Work on house installation, such as repairs, modifications, or new installations, must not be
carried out by HVL employees.
Repairs and modification of existing 400V/230V components and circuits may be carried out by
HVL employees after prior consultation with the laboratory or group manager. It is to be
decided on a case-by-case basis whether the works can be carried out by HVL employees or a
qualified external company or authority.

Documentation All safety relevant documents, i.e., concepts, training material, work instructions, training and
maintenance evidence etc. are accessible on the HVL-NAS:
\\d.ethz.ch\groups\itet\eeh\hvl\fachgruppe-hvl\Safety_and_Work_Instructions
 HVL Safety Concept Page 4 of 30

2 Occupational Safety
Research in the field of high voltage engineering is typically very interdisciplinary. Consequently, the
regulations for occupational safety have to cover various disciplines. Furthermore, the highly flexible
and non-standardized nature of the work at a research institution makes it often inconvenient to apply
standard operating procedures from industry.

Therefore, experimental activities at HVL should be assessed through the generic approach for work
safety:

1.) Risk Assessment 2.) Risk Mitigation 3.) Emergency Strategy

The idea and goal of risk assessment and risk mitigation are described in the following subsection. The
implementation of the risk mitigation and the emergency strategy at HVL is then further described in
dedicated chapters.

2.1 Risk Assessment

The basis of the risk assessment is the awareness that a certain activity may lead to injury or death –
and therefore has a certain risk. The first and most important step of the risk assessment therefore
consists of an objective description of the hazard. A list of possible hazards - without claim of
completeness – can be found in Table 1 below.
Table 1: List of potential hazards in a high voltage laboratory
Type Limit Values Reference

Voltage UAC < 25 V - f < 500 Hz SN EN 50191 [1]

UDC < 60 V f < 500 Hz

Current Inductive Energy = 0.5×L×I2 SN EN 50191 [1]

Value for energy limit below

Energy 300 mJ SN EN 50191 [1]

Electric / Magnetic Fields 400 A/m, f = 50 Hz SUVA [12]

10 kV/m, f = 50 Hz SUVA [6][7]
Weight/Load Handling 15 - 25 kg (without technical aid) EKAS [8]
500 kg (incl. technical aid)

Noise 85 dB(A) continuous SUVA [9]

120 dB(A) stochastic 1 hr sum SUVA [12]
135 dB (C) Impulse

Pressure 0.2 MPa absolute, 3000 bar × l (for usage of equipment) DGVV [16]
0.15 MPa absolute, 50 bar × l (for construction of equipment) DBV [17]
< 0.1 MPa absolute (if brittle materials are present, e.g., glass)

Light Laser: > Class I Laser Products SUVA [12]

Ultra-Violet: Check wavelength and exposure time

Height 3m SUVA [11]

Mechanical Forces, Any non-enclosed rotating machine

Rotating Machines
X-Ray Any artificial ionizing radiation source

Chemicals Maximum allowed workplace concentration SUVA [12]

(Liquids/Gases) anything Labelled with Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Toxic,
 HVL Safety Concept Page 5 of 30

The afore mentioned hazards and combinations of these shall be as good as possible quantified with
the probability of exposure and the severity of a potential accident. This leads to the risk classes as
shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Risk Assessment matrix and corresponding classification of damage and probability. Adapted from SUVA [13] and
[14]

Frequent 4 3 2 1 1

Occasional 4 3 3 2 1
Probability

Infrequent 4 3 3 3 2

Improbable 4 3 3 3 3
Almost
4 4 4 3 3
Impossible
Minimal Small Medium Severe Very
Severe
Damage

Damage Probability
Very Death Frequent certain to occur in a short time
Severe
Severe Serious permanent harm Occasional certain to occur after some
time
Medium Slight permanent harm Infrequent occurrence possible

Small Curable harm with incapacity to work Improbable occurrence unlikely to occur

Minimal Curable harm without incapacity to Almost impossible so unlikely that the probability
work is almost zero

Further information about the risk assessment and detailed instructions for risk assessment can be
found in SUVA [13] and [14].
 HVL Safety Concept Page 6 of 30

2.2 Risk Mitigation

The aim of occupational safety at HVL is to perform any experimental activity in maximum a Class 3
environment, according to the risk classes in Table 2. To achieve this, the so-called STOP principle is
applied:
1.) S: Substitute
2.) T: Technical Safety
3.) O: Organizational Safety
4.) P: Protective Equipment
Substitute: Before starting any kind of activity or experiment one may think if the same (or similar)
knowledge can be gained by using a reduced scale setup and or any other kind of substituting a
dangerous material/activity by something else.
The implementation of technical and organizational safety as well as protective equipment are in
detailed explained in the following chapters.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 7 of 30

3 Technical Safety
This section describes the technical measures undertaken to provide inherently safe experimental
setups. Technical safety is always to be preferred towards organizational safety. Where applicable, the
safety installations at HVL follow the SIL 3 standard (IEC 61508 [15]). The technical safety installation
are based on the recommendations in SN EN 50191 [1], BGI 891 [2] and IEEE [4].
3.1 Philosophy

The technical safety installation shall make it impossible to work on or too close to energized
equipment. The safety installation has to be able to interrupt all power supply lines of any kind of
medium and discharge all energy storages of any kind of medium within a reasonable time1. It has to
be able to fulfill this task also in the event of a complete energy supply loss. Further, the experiment
shall be confined in order to physically separate the user from the hazard.
3.2 Implementation in the Lab

The implementation of this ‘philosophy’ is explained here at the example of a High Voltage Experiment.
The technical elements and ideas shall be likewise applied to any other hazards mentioned in Table 1.

Depending on size, the confinement may be either a housing, a fenced area, or a Faraday cage – see
example in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Example experimental setup: Complete confinement of experiment and associated dangers. Door with lock and
surveillance

The integrity of the fence – i.e., its completeness and the status of the access door are supervised by
a PLC-controlled safety device called “Base-Cube” or “PI-Cube” (HVL [18] and [19]). This device controls
the interlock circuit, meaning it reads several input signals and only if all safety conditions are fulfilled,
it releases the discharging installations and enables power flow. An example list of sensors and actors
is shown below.

1
no strict numbers are given here, and the time must be decided based on e.g. the time needed to enter the
safety area after shut-down, the amount of energy stored and further relevant factors
 HVL Safety Concept Page 8 of 30

Table 3: Sensors and actors forming the safety circuit

Sensor Actor
Fence Integrity Automatic Earth Stick
Status Door Door Lock
Emergency Stop Power Supply: Frequency Converter
Manual Gnd Rod Power Supply 220/400V
Position automatic Earth Stick Signal Lamps

The operating states of the experiment are listed in the table below. The safety device has to make
sure that the operating states are visible.

Table 4: Operating states of safety installation

State Lights Meaning
Off off Setup Save and Shut-off
Nobody working here

Green Ready green Setup is running

Somebody working here

Discharge switch closed

Ground switch closed
Main energy supply disabled

Red Ready red Setup is running

Discharge switch closed

Ground switch open
Main energy supply disabled

Red Operate red Setup energized (or ready to be energized)

Discharge switch open

Ground switch open
Main energy supply enabled

Error/Warning Red and green Lamp Warning or Error State

blinking Accompanied by an acoustic warning sign

An example of such a signal lamp is shown in Figure 1, right hand side.

For experiments with intermittent hazards an additional acoustic signaling is recommended. Generic
requirements are shown in Table 5.

Table 5: Overview of acoustic warnings

Status
Low Tone, Intermittent Setup energized and charging
High Tone, Continuous Energy release immediately to happen

The type of sound may be chosen on an individual basis however, the following recommendations
should be concerned:
o It should not sound like a commonly used signalisation e.g. doorbell. This will lead to confusion
and a sense of amateurism.
o If the sound should act as a warning, it should not be too loud, and its power spectral density
should not be distributed only in the 2kHz - 4 kHz range. Otherwise, this will lead to fatigue,
and useless loss of focus of personal working in the perimeter.
o If the sound should act as an alarm, most of its power spectral density should be in the 2kHz -
4 kHz range in order to draw attention (e.g. baby cry, ambulance, alarm clock, ..)
 HVL Safety Concept Page 9 of 30

4 Organizational Safety
Organizational safety ensures that technical safety is in place, and it further consists of a set of behavior
rules in order to further mitigate the work hazards as described in Table 1. This includes but is not
limited to the definition of trainings and instructions for the employees, definition of control
procedures and necessary documentation for experimental devices.
4.1 Rights and Duties – Lab Hierarchy

In this section the different roles of the employees of HVL are defined and the associated rights and
duties are explained. These serve as a basis for the 4-eye principle (introduced in section 1, explained
in detail in section 4.3) and the section 4.8 “experiment design and setup”
Group Manager
The group manager (GM) is the head of the High Voltage Laboratory (HVL) of the ETH Zurich and is
responsible for the overall safety in the HVL laboratories. The GM is Prof. Christian M. Franck.
Laboratory Manager
The lab manager (LM) is appointed by the Group Manager and is responsible for the implementation
and enforcement of safety in all laboratories of the HVL.
Further, the LM oversees the maintenance and safety of equipment and facilities (infrastructure) and
the supply of (personal) protective equipment. He is supported by the AI, GM and the ETH departments
"Operations", "Buildings" and "Safety, Security, Health, Environment (SSHE, German: SGU)". From
SSHE perspective, the LM is the group safety responsible (GSR) and single point of contact for safety
related topics. Further, he is the poison or laser officer of the group or delegates this task.
The LM is responsible for the training and instruction of the ER (see below) and supervises the trainings
for the InP (Instructed Person, see below). The LM holds and maintains a list of all employees and
workers at HVL indicating functions and responsibilities. The LM is Dr. Philipp Simka
Authorized Inspector
The authorized inspector (AI) is appointed by the GM and trained by the LM. The AI is in charge of
specific trainings and maintenance tasks as defined in section 4.5 and 4.6 . The AI is Fabian Mächler.
Experiment Responsible
The experiment responsible (ER) is appointed by the GM or LM for individual test systems or types of
facilities. The permitted activities are defined in the experiment specific documentation (see section
4.7).
The ER is entitled to delegate individual activities from their area of responsibility to an InP. However,
the responsibility for a certain experimental setup always remains with the ER. ER are typically doctoral
students or Post-Docs of the HVL group.
Instructed Person
An instructed person (InP) is working at a certain experimental setup. The InP is authorized to modify
existing test systems or measuring equipment according to precise guidelines or test instructions, to
perform routine tests according to specifications, or to change test objects with unchanged test circuit
setup. The InP is instructed by the LM and the ER. Main responsibility for the work safety of the InP is
with the ER. InP are typically further doctoral students that work on the same setup (per setup only
one ER can be defined), bachelor or master students, interns or temporary lab staff.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 10 of 30

4.2 Access Restriction

Access to all laboratories2 of HVL is restricted to scientific/technical staff of the institute (incl. InP as
defined in the previous section).
Visitors are allowed to access the laboratories of the HVL when accompanied by a member of staff
(incl. InP).
Working in any of the laboratories of the HVL is only permitted after appropriate instruction by an
authorized person (GM, LM) and supervisor (ER, AI).
Working at the house installations e.g., by staff of ETH building administration or external craftsmen
may only be allowed after prior agreement with LM or AI. LM or AI have to verify that access is safe
and that all affected lab users are informed. LM informs the building administration regularly about
the access restriction rules (HVL [20]).
4.3 4-Eye Principle – Inspection Obligation

After setting up any kind of test circuit or assembly, a check must be carried out – before putting
something into operation. A strict dual control principle applies (4-eye principle). The inspection can
be carried out by GM, LM or AI. Preferably the inspecting person did not take part in the construction
of the assembly. The inspection can be delegated by the GM or LM to further qualified persons on an
individual basis.

The inspection must be documented appropriately – Concerning complete experimental setups

appropriate documentation means signing a complete grey info board (see chapter 4.7).

The inspection duty applies to setups with a certain associated risk. These risks are roughly quantified
in section 2.1 – in case of doubt discuss with LM, GM or AI.

4.4 Malfunctions

Malfunctions of a test facility or operating equipment, even if only temporary, must be reported
immediately to LM or AI in writing
In such a case, the test facility must never be accessed alone for the purpose of troubleshooting.
Another expert person is always to be consulted (GM, LM, AI, ER). This applies in particular when
working outside the normal working hours.
4.5 Training / Instruction

There are general standard trainings which everyone working at HVL laboratories has to receive and
special trainings for machines or hazards which are given on a need-to-know basis. Trainings should
always consist of a theoretical and a practical part. The training material/concept includes rules for
working with a hazard or a certain machine/experiment.

Theses Trainings are summarized in the tables below. Responsibility is with the LM, the execution of
trainings may be shared between GM, LM and AI

2
see: ‘laboratories’ enlisted in chapter 8
 HVL Safety Concept Page 11 of 30

Table 6: List of HVL general safety trainings. Executed once, no refresher is planned (exceptions see corresponding footnotes)
Type Training Material Applies to Trainer
Introduction to HVL One Note: Tec/Scientific Staff GM
premises: Labs and Storage “Lab Plan”
Introduction to HVL One Note: Tec/Scientific Staff GM
administration “HVL General
Information”
General Safety3 HVL Safety Concept Everyone LM
Corresponding PPT
Introduction to the Checklist on NAS InP ER
Laboratory

Introduction to the Description in Black InP ER

Experiment Folder
AED/BLS Course4 Tec/Scientific External company

Table 7: List of HVL special safety trainings. Executed once and no refresher is planned
Type Training Material5 Applies to Trainer
Electric Safety HVL Electric Safety Everyone LM
Concept
Corresponding PPT

Pressure Cylinders SSHE PPT On demand SSHE

Pressurized Air
Cryogenic Liquids

Gas Handling HVL Gas Handling On Demand LM

Concept

Laser Safety SUVA [21] On demand Laser Officer

IEF training PPT
Mechanical Safety: Internal Training for On demand AI
Rotating Machines, Rotating Machines
Tabletop Drills

Mechanical Safety: Manual for Operating On demand AI

Bridge Cranes Overhead Cranes

Working in Height: Internal training and On demand AI

instruction for operators
Haulotte, Scaffolds and of aerial work platforms
Ladders
Fire Extinguisher SSHE PPT On demand SSHE

The execution of trainings has to be documented through a training evidence sheet. It lists the major
training content and a reference to the training material. It has to be signed by the trainer and the
person receiving the training.

The LM keeps track of the executed trainings and the training evidence archive.

3
Full Training at start of employment, refresher every year
4
Full training at start of employment, refresher every second year
5
Training materials are stored in the Folder “Safety and Work Instructions” on the group NAS
 HVL Safety Concept Page 12 of 30

4.6 Purchase, Maintenance and Disposal

LM and AI ensure that the machines, equipment, tools used in their labs and / or workshop facilities,
correspond to the applicable safety regulations. When purchasing new equipment, they therefore
demand that the declaration of conformity and operating instructions are supplied and that these
documents are stored in an organized and accessible manner. Should it be necessary for research
purposes to procure or to build equipment without CE declaration of conformity, then a hazard
assessment must be performed. The respective documents for the individual devices are stored on the
NAS under “Laboratories and Equipment”.

The LM keeps track of all necessary maintenances considering building installations and experimental
hardware. All works shall be documented in an appropriate document by LM and AI.

Specific maintenance duties for LM and ER are additionally listed below. These works shall be
documented in the Black Lab Folder.

Table 8: Overview of specific maintenance duties (Regular maintenance duties are enlisted on the NAS).

Type Interval Responsible Executed by

Control of Personal Protective Halve year ER ER
Equipment (PPE)
Maintenance/Test-Run Local At every startup ER ER / InP
Emergency Stops and further
safety elements
Laboratory Inspection Halve Year LM LM
External Lab Inspection 2 – 3 Year LM Tophinke / Electrosuisse
(linked to low
voltage inspection)

‘Standard’ recyclable material such as cardboard, electronics, batteries, metals etc may be disposed
on the appropriate collection stations on the hallways or in the recycling room ETZ B-Floor.

Waste gas shall be recycled according to the instructions in the HVL-Gasguideline

Further chemical waste of all kinds shall be recycled via the ETH Reclycling station at CAB. Small
quantities may be carried (no car transport) to the station – for larger quantities a pick-up should be
organized.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 13 of 30

4.7 Signalization and Documentation

At every laboratory entry door6, a red framed laboratory information board is mounted as well as the
warning signs associated to the experiments inside of this laboratory.

The warning signs and the red framed board instruct craftsmen, visitors, and employees of ETZ facility
services about the access restrictions and the hazards inside the lab, consequently accompanying text
shall be in German.

As the dangers indicated by the warning signs have to be handled individually by ER and InP, there are
no permanent blue advice/handling instruction signs on the doors.

Special advice and/or prohibition signs maybe temporarily mounted on the laboratory information
boards as well. A set of templates is available at every lab door

Figure 2: Example of Lab door signalment. Access restriction (red) and warning signs (yellow). Door Lab ETZ C79.

6
see ‘laboratories’ in room listing section 8
 HVL Safety Concept Page 14 of 30

Signalization and documentation of experiments at HVL consist of three different items:

Red Framed Experiment Information Board

Mounted at the entry door of a specific experiment it shall indicate the major dangers (incl. main
ratings) of the experiment and the responsible person. Standard ISO 7010 warning signs shall be used.
The language is German as it is addressing mainly external people. A template is provided by the LM
and example shown below.

Figure 3: Examples of red-framed experiment information board

Grey Framed Circuit Information Board

Mounted at a well accessible position, preferably not next to the Red-Frame, it shall give brief but
complete overview of the purpose and functionality of the setup – therefore it has to feature a circuit
schematics of the test setup and a block diagram of the safety/interlock circuit. This poster is the basis
and evidence for the 4-eye inspection (when signed). A template, i.e. detailed instruction is provided
by the LM and an examples are shown below:

Figure 4: Examples of grey laboratory information board.

 HVL Safety Concept Page 15 of 30

Black Facility Folder

The complete experimental setup has to be documented in a black facility folder. The content of the
facility folder should at least cover the following topics:

o Detailed Setup Description

 Complete wiring, control and safety circuit diagram (max degree of details - in
contrast to the minimalistic circuit diagram on the grey board)
o Hazards of the Setup
o Procedures and PPE
 Allowance List
 How to Put Setup in operation
 How to Shut-down Setup
 Malfunction procedure
 Emergency procedure
o Training Evidence Documents
o 4-eye Evidence
o Additional Documents

LM provides a template for the black folder.

4.8 Experiment Design and Setup

Safety and Success of experimental activities depend highly on careful planning and construction of
the installation. The following chapter serves as a guidance for the design and setup of experiments at
the HVL laboratories.

4.8.1 Planning and Installation of a Completely New Test Facility

Before starting to set up a test facility, it is important to be familiar with the following points:
o planned key data (e.g. test voltage amplitude/shape, pressure, radiation, dimensions of test
objects, etc.)
o principle diagram of test circuit with all control and measuring equipment
o EMC concept: grounding of test and measuring equipment
o Risk assessment and risk mitigation strategy
o estimation of safety distances for all voltage parts
o indoor climate requirements
o demand for special facilities and aids (exhaust air, cooling water, etc.)
o design test circuit in a way it will inherently go to a safe state in case of power loss
The result of these preliminary works is to be discussed with LM and GM before starting with the setup
of the test facility, placing orders or delegating major work to the electronics or mechanic’s workshop.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 16 of 30

4.8.2 4-Eye Principle: First Commissioning of a New Test Facility/Measuring Equipment

The following points are to be presented and explained in detail to the person in charge.
o compliance with the previously established safety distances
o setup of the safety circuit, incl. arrangement of the ground rods and warning lights
o executed grounding in the test facility, and the control and measuring equipment
o protection of all signal, control and measuring lines against dangerous contact and overvoltage
o demonstration of the power-on procedure
o start-up of the test facility, performing a measurement
o shutdown of the system, disconnection and grounding of all relevant components
o thorough demonstration of all safety devices (E-Stop, Door, Gnd-Hook, etc) – demonstration
of shut-down procedure at full running experiment.
o Documentation of the setup: Red Frame, Grey Frame, Black Folder. Especially allowance list.
Description of procedures may be a draft, as experience has to be gained with the setup.

The inspection has to be executed by GM, LM or AI (or another person individually assigned by GM or
LM). The Inspection has to be documented by signing the grey frame poster.

4.8.3 Conversion of Existing Test Facilities and Measuring Equipment

An Inspection has to be executed also If only individual elements are replaced in an existing test facility,
e.g. only one measuring device on the low-voltage side of a high-voltage or high-current sensor. The
inspection can performed by GM, LM or AI (or another person individually assigned by GM or LM)..
The following points are to be performed individually and explained in detail:
o type of modification, adapted test circuit diagram
o possible impact of the changes on the test or measuring circuit (safety and EMC)
o if required, updating of the associated facility file
If the test facility is accepted by the control person, this must be recorded in writing on the grey frame
poster.

4.9 Unsupervised Experiments

Unsupervised tests must be planned in consultation with the LM and GM. The experimental setup has
to have proven longterm reliability. “Longterm” depends on the estimated runtime and timescales to
settle transients of the experiment. The actual time needs to be discussed/agreed aforehand. In any
case the setup must first be run on a trial basis several weekdays during normal working hours. Only
after ensuring that the operating condition fully meets the expectations, the permanent test may
definitely be started.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 17 of 30

Besides the experience the following points should be assessed and documented:
o any additional risks or failure mode arising from unattended/longterm operation of the setup
(meaning additional to the standard black folder documentation)?
o If yes, proposal of mitigation strategies
o Responsibilities and description of who (ER, InP) can do what. Who has to behave how in case
of failure
The switch-on authorization from GM and LM including a brief description of the scope of validity must
be recorded in writing and stored in the black folder. Additionally, the switch-on authorization is
documented by the LM in a dedicated document.

4.10 Working Hours

General

For scientific/technical staff and InP, the presence and work in the premises of HVL i.e. offices and
laboratories is allowed 24/7. Office work is allowed 24/7. Presence in the laboratories after 18.00h at
weekends/public holidays requires two persons or a buddy system.
The execution of experiments, any action according to hazard Table 1 or any action covered by special
training (
Table 7) is only allowed in between 08.00 to 18.00h, Monday to Friday. During these times, quick help
in case of accidents is ensured through the global Emergency Stop/Alarming system.

Exceptions
If execution of experiments must be performed outside of these hours and/or at weekends/public
holidays special permission must be obtained from GM and LM.
In general, only work procedures that have already been approved and can be carried out
independently and safely by the employee without any problems may be executed. In general, a
second person (staff or InP) has to be present in the lab.
The permission from the LM and GM including a brief description of the scope of validity must be
recorded in writing and stored in the black folder.
In case of malfunctions on the test facility or other unusual occurrences, the work must be
discontinued immediately. The test facility must not be accessed alone, in particular not for the
purpose of troubleshooting.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 18 of 30

4.11 Working Alone

For the majority of setups at HVL technical and organizational safety procedures can provide a class 4
safety environment according to section 2.1. In this environment working alone is in principle possible
without any supervision.

In the case of a class 3 safety environment, periodical deliberate monitoring of the ER and InP has to
be established (SUVA [14]). The technical/organizational implementation hast to be discussed on case
by case with GM and LM.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 19 of 30

4.12 Good Laboratory Practice

Good laboratory practice includes two major categories: First, general behavior rules which shall not
only make the workplace more safe but also comfortable and convenient for all staff members. Second
good laboratory practice consists of a set of soft workplace design and behavior rules which enhance
the experimental work in the labs.

General:
o Mutual respect and responsible everyday interaction are followed by everyone (Respect [23],
Code of Conduct [22]).
o Working under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited.
o Eating and drinking in the labs is generally not permitted. Exception is for plain bottled water.
o Wearing Headphones in the Laboratories is not permitted, in the offices the volume of
headphones should be set such that the alarm horns are still noticed. Listening to music from
speakers is allowed in agreement with all users of the lab.
o No manipulation of the house installation, i.e. the permanent piping for gas, water, pressurized
air, electricity etc.
o Notify defect equipment, inappropriate behavior, and other bad states of affair to GM or LM
Laboratory:
o Keep the working environment clean and tidy. This helps to identify safety issues and threats.
Make sure any material is in its dedicated area, i.e.: Experimental Area, Control Area, Assembly
Area, Experiment Storage, General Storage. No Storage in the transit routes.
o When consumables run out, please refill or ensure that it is refilled.
o Equipment that is not used, should in general be switched off. This is in line with the safety
signaling.
o Tools from the common workbenches/tool trolleys have to be returned immediately after the
work has finished. Latest by the end of the working day.
o If tools or measurement equipment is borrowed and moved from one lab to another it has to
be signposted somehow (Post-it, Note, Teams, Whiteboard, etc)
o Label everything.
o Do not use Tape for permanent installations (> two weeks)
o Do not use raw wood for installations. Remove standard euro palettes from the labs.
o Apply the HVL software, hardware and connectors standards for designing experiments. If in
doubt what these standards mean for HVL, ask the colleagues or AI, LM and GM.
o Use equipment for its dedicated purpose. For example: Trolleys are no tables, kitchen gear
shall not be used in chemical labs, etc.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 20 of 30

5 Example Risk Assessment

An example of risk reduction by addressing probability and impact of injury through technical and
organizational measures is shown below. The example treats the occurrence “contact with a running
high voltage transformer”.

Since high voltage transformers typically run continuous and are somehow comparable in size to a
human, contact with high voltage is considered “frequent”. This contact would be lethal; therefore,
the damage is considered “very severe”. The initial assessment locates the risk in the top right corner
(see Table 9 below).

Table 9: Risk assessment example for “contact with a running high voltage transformer”. Several measures reduce the risk
class from 1 to 4

Table 10 below lists a series of technical and organizational measures, which may reduce either the
probability (P) or the damage (D) of the initial “occurrence”. Step #1 does not reduce the harm of
touching the running transformer but drastically reduces its probability. Step #2 does not further
reduce the probability of touching the transformer but addresses the remaining voltage and
consequently the damage. Step #3 reduces the damage further by eliminating residual voltage. In case
all these technical measures (and their supervision) fail, organizational measures in step #4 ensure,
that damage is reduced to minimal, and the occurrence of an accident becomes “almost impossible”.

Table 10: Steps of mitigation the risk by technical and organizational measures
Step Assessment before Measure Kind of measure Assessment after
measure measure
#1 P: frequent Confinement of the source by fences, access Technical safety
D: very severe restriction through monitored door
Signalization of state and warning signs Organizational safety P: Improbable
D: Very Severe
#2 P: Improbable Automatic interruption of power supply when Technical safety P. Improbable
D: Very Severe door is opened D: medium
#3 P. Improbable Automatic earthing – i.e. de-energization of Technical safety P: Improbable
D: medium the system D: small
#4 P: Improbable Instruction and training of the users – Organizational safety
D: small supervision of voltage measurement
usage of manual earthing rod Organizational safety P: almost impossible
D: very small
 HVL Safety Concept Page 21 of 30

6 Protective Equipment
According to domestic work laws the employer has to provide a safe working environment which
includes all necessary protective equipment (VuV [5]). The employee has the duty to make use of the
protection equipment and to take care of the maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Common protective equipment in HVL Labs are listed below.

Table 11: Overview of common protective equipment

Type Description
Safety Shoes Must be worn for any kind of laboratory work except pure data collections which is
(Class S1 or higher). equal to office work. Safety Shoes are PPE.

Gloves Are available in every lab for common work. Nitrile gloves for basic chemical and dirt
protection, polyester gloves for basic mechanical work and thick leather gloves for
heavy mechanical work or heat protection. Depending on usage intensity gloves can
be PPE.

Hearing Protection For experimental and mechanical work - are available in every lab.

Eye Protection Are available at every machine desk

Lab Coat For dirty mechanical or basic chemical work

Further (personal) protective equipment will be supplied on demand in-line with the specific safety
instruction – see section 4.5 (e.g. special eye protection, breathing protection, cryogenic gloves, etc.)
 HVL Safety Concept Page 22 of 30

7 Emergency Strategy
In case of accident or injury, first act according to the stop-light-scheme (Samariter [24]):

Red: Stop
 Overview of the Situation
 What happened
 Who is involved

Yellow: Think
 Dangers for helping persons?
 Dangers for other persons?
 Dangers for patients?

Green: Act
 Alarming
 Ensure self-protection
 Secure area
 Turn-off machines
 1st -Aid

Some of the above-mentioned bullet-points are explained in more details below:

7.1 Alarming

Internal HVL:
Every laboratory of HVL is equipped with a global emergency stop system. In case of activation all
electric power lines in this lab are interrupted (except of the lighting) and a visual and acoustic alarm
is activated in the ETL building and the ETZ C-floor laboratory.
The location of the alarm is indicated on display panels which are distributed all over the ETL building.
All employees of HVL shall be familiar with the location of the closest display panel and proceed to the
indicated location whenever there is an alarm. This alarm is internal only and does not activate any
external rescue brigade.

Figure 5: Alarming display panel, manual next to the panel and example of emergency stops labeled in german or englisch

Note 1:
Labs from other institutes in the ETL building are connected to the same alarming system. The alarm
sound is an intermittent tone, the HVL alarm sound a continuous tone. It is expected that HVL
employees proceed to locations of alarm even if they originate from a different institute.

Note 2:
 HVL Safety Concept Page 23 of 30

The Alarming/Emergency Stop system can be deactivated to perform maintenance works on the
electric sub-distribution without power interruption to the labs. This status is indicated by this sign at
lab entry If it is activated NO experimental work shall be executed.

Figure 6: Illuminated warning sign “NOT-AUS Schaltung überbrückt» - indicating works on the electric sub-distribution

Internal ETH:
The ETH rescue organization is available 24/7 an can be reached by any stationary ETH phone, dialing:
888
External:
The european emergency telephone number, also valid in Switzerland is:
112
When dialed from a fixed internal ETH-phone, dial
0-112
Fire-/Smoke Alarm
Every room at ETH is equipped with a smoke detector which will automatically trigger an alarm if
activated. Acoustic alarms are triggered only in the section of the smoke detection (not the whole
building) and only after 17.00h and 24h at weekends. During ‘regular’ work hours the alarm is silent to
prevent misusage from terrorists. The silent alarm is sent to the staff from facility services or the fire
brigade respectively.

Manual Fire Alarm buttons can be found on every floor close to the staircases:

Figure 7: Fire-Alarm button as available close to every staircase and ceiling light indication towards the location of an
activated smoke-detector
 HVL Safety Concept Page 24 of 30

Gas-Alarm / Ventilation Alarm

In ETL C11 there is an Oxygen-Monitoring and alarm system installed. A pre-alarm is triggered when
the oxygen level drops below 19%. The user shall identify the source of the problem.
 If a clear and uncritical source for the alarm trigger can be identified, the ER can reset the
alarm.
 If there is no clear source for the alarm but the oxygen level rises again  Report to the LM
A full alarm is triggered when the oxygen level drops below 17%. All persons have to immediately leave
the room. The alarm triggers automatically the ETH rescue organization.

Figure 8: Gas-Alarm Installation in ETL C11. Left: User Panel inside the lab, right: O2 Concentration display at Lab entry

In ETL E31, ETZ C79 and C78.2 it is indicated whether the ventilation is running or not. In case of gas-
handling or other reasons which request a running ventilation, this sign has to be checked, see Figure
9 below.

Figure 9: Illuminated ventilation-error sign with associated flash light. warning

Reporting Scheme
When external help is called, refer to the following scheme (SSHE [25]):
 HVL Safety Concept Page 25 of 30

7.2 First Aid / Fire Fighting

Employees of HVL receive a basic BLS/AED training including refresher course every second year. The
following installations help in the execution of first aid:

Basic medical supply. Available on every

corridor throughout the building

Basic medical supply. Available in every lab

Automatic external defibrillator. Located at the

main staircase of ETL – floor E and floor H and
ETZ – floor C

Eye-Wash station
 HVL Safety Concept Page 26 of 30

Fire-fighting equipment is present in every lab, as well as on every floor at every staircase of the
building. Use it only if you feel comfortable – if not, leave the location and wait for the fire fighters.
Remember to perform alarming first before fire-fighting on your own.

Fireblanket

Handheld fire-extinguisher,
foam and CO2

Water hose
 HVL Safety Concept Page 27 of 30

Fires classes, the appropriate extinguishing agent are categorized according to the table below.

Class

Type of Ordinary solid Flammable liquids Electrical equipment, Certain flammable Edible fat and
Combustion combustibles i.e. such as alcohol, appliances and wiring metallic substances grease
paper, wood, cloth ether, oil, gasoline such as sodium and
and some plastics and grease potassium.
Water Effective Dangerous Dangerous Dangerous Dangerous

Foam Effective Effective Non-effective Dangerous Dangerous

BC-Powder Non-effective Effective Effective Non-Effective Non-Effective

ABC-Powder Effective Effective Effective Non Non-Effective

Dry Chemical Non-effective Non-effective Non-effective Effective Non-Effective

CO2 Non-effective Effective None-effective Dangerous Non-Effective

Fat Effective Effective Non-Effective Dangerous Effective

Extinguisher
Table 12: Type of burn-classes and corresponding fire extinguishers

7.3 Reporting

Accidents and incidents have to be reported to GM and LM as well as to the authorities by using the
appropriate standard form.

Accidents during work or leisure time shall be reported to SUVA via the ETH HR-Department. This is a
prerequisite for covering the costs of medication or medical treatment with SUVA.

Further, all lab and workshop incidents must be reported to the LM and GM. Then they report the
event to SSHE by email to sgu-schaden@ethz.ch.

An electrical accident must also be reported to the Federal Heavy Current Inspectorate.
 HVL Safety Concept Page 28 of 30

8 Rooms of HVL / Important Rooms Non-HVL

Black: Offices/Other, Red = Storage/Workshops etc, Blue: Laboratories, Green: Non HVL-rooms, but important

**Locations ETL

- Townsend-Lab: K15
- H30.1: Binder, F&B
- H31.2: Solder and Laser Lab
- H31.1 – H35: Offices
- H-Floor: Printer: Storage Cupboards
- H36: Library
- H27.1: Kitchen
- H24.2, H26, H28, H29: Offices / Secretary
- Terrace
- GasStorage
- Cardboard/Paper Trash (Door opening)
- Staircases and Elevators (2 + 3)
- Delivery Ramp, Crane and Pit
- G16 Student Room
- G18 – Hallway Storage and Office and Workshop
- F31: Gallery
- E25: Cables
- E30.001: High Volt Accessories
- E: D-Itet General Workshop
- E31: Main High Voltage Lab (FC- s and Xs, Workshop, Top/Down/Gallery/Bucht)
- E31.3 - SwitchYard
- D21: Tools
- D23: General Storage
o Storage Sectors
o (Sub-distribution, Elevator, Monkey)
- D-ITET Workshop: Material Storage
- Tunnel D-Floor
- C11: Dielectrics/Maintenance Lab
- C21.1: Storage Fluid Handling
- C21.2: Witch Kitchen
- C-Hallway Storage (Archive)
- Tunnel A-Floor

**Locations: ETZ:

- Ramp
- Reycling B-Floor
- C77: Switchyard
- C79 : Main High Current Lab (FCs and Xs, Workplaces etc….)
- C78.1, C78.2
- C78.3 C60.001: Lecture Storage
- C78.4 and C78.5: GIS and RLC
-
- Delivery Ramp ETZ
- Mail-Office ETZ
- Connection via Staircase ETZ (2x)
- Transport-Duct ETZ
HVL Safety Concept Page 29 of 30

9 Version History

? Version 1
? Version 2
Sept 2017 Version 3 Hans-Jürg Weber
Nov 2019 Version 4 Hans-Jürg Weber
Added part in documentation: red/black / grey
and added maintenance list
Version was never released
04.11.2021 Version 5 Philipp Simka
Merge Version 3 and Verions 4 and text from
homepage
Major change in table of content
Added chapter occupational and technical
safety. Extended chapter protective and
emergency strategy

10.12.2021 Version 5.1 / 5.2 Philipp Simka

Minor changes in wording/organizational safety
Added all references
21.12.2021 Version 5.3 – Release Philipp Simka
small adaptations in the working hours section
19.07.2022 Version 5.4 Philipp Simka
Integrate inputs from January feedback-session,
Management Team review and SGU review
HVL Safety Concept Page 30 of 30

10 References
[1] SN EN 50191: “Errichten und Betreiben elektrischer Prüfanlagen»
[2] BGI 891: «Errichten und Betreiben elektrischer Prüfanlagen»
[3] SR 734.2: «Regulations on Electrical Power Installations
[4] IEEE Recommended Practices for Safety in High-Voltage and High-Power Testing, March
1992, IEEE Std 510-1983
[5] VuV (Verordnung über die Unfallverhütung): “Verordnung über die Verhütung von Unfällen
und Berufskrankheiten”, 832.30, 01.Mai 2018
[6] SUVA: Elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit (EMV) von aktiven
medizinischen Implantaten am Arbeitsplatz, Sept 2009
[7] SUVA: Elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit von Herz-schrittmachern und implantierten
Defibrillatoren im Umfeld von elektronischen Sicherheitssystemen, Juli 2008
[8] EKAS Informationsbroschüre (Eidgenössische Koordinationskommission Arbeitssicherheit):
“Lastentransport von Hand», EKAS 6245d, 11th Edition, Sept 2017
[9] SUVA, «Factsheet: Lärm am Arbeitsplatz» https://www.suva.ch/de-ch/praevention/sachthemen/laerm-
vibrationen#uxlibrary-material=8d7ca881a1cb4564ba03758db23fcd3f&uxlibrary-material-filter=materialGroup:all&uxlibrary-
open=/de-CH?atomid=2af3942fe1d8457da833aead7db6b2a6%26showContainer=1
[10]SUVA, “Hebe richtig, trage richtig”, Publication No. 44018
[11]SUVA, «Tragbare Leitern: Richtig umgehen mit Anstell- und Bockleitern», Publication
No.44026
[12]SUVA, «Grenzwerte am Arbeitsplatz: MAK-/BAT-Werte (Erläuterungen), physikalische
Einwirkungen, physische Belastungen»
[13]SUVA Risk assessment and reduction The Suva method for machinery. Publication No.
66037.E, Sept 201
[14]SUVA: “Alleinarbeit kann gefährlich sein. Anleitung für Arbeitgeber und
Sicherheitsbeauftragte Publication No.44094
[15]IEC 61508: Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety-related
System
[16]DGVV (Druckgeräteverwendungsverordnung): “ Verordnung über die Sicherheit und den
Gesundheitsschutz der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer bei der Verwendung von
Druckgeräten, Juni 2017
[17]DBV (Druckbehälterverordnung): «Verordnung über die Sicherheit von einfachen
Druckbehältern» 819.121
[18]Jonas Trüssel, HVL: «Ansteuerung für Experimente mit dem Hochspannungsbaukasten, März
2016
[19]Jonas Trüssel, HVL: „Laborsafety ETL E31: Steuerung Sicherheitskreis. März 2016
[20]HVL Access Restriction: Z:\fachgruppe-
hvl\Safety_and_Work_Instructions\00_General\01_Concept\03_Access_Restriction
[21]SUVA: “Laser Beam”, Publication No 66049
[22]ETH Zurich, D-ITET: «Code of Conduct”, https://ee.ethz.ch/the-department/code-of-
conduct.html
[23]ETH Zurich, “Respect”, https://respekt.ethz.ch/en
[24] Schweizerischer Samariterbund, Ampelschema:
https://www.samariter.ch/sites/default/files/media/documents/Was%20tun%20im%20Notf
all_0.pdf
[25]SSHE: “How to Play it Safe at ETH Zurich, What to Do in an Emergency”, Brochure,
Safety, Security, Health and Environment department
2nd Eddition 2020