OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces Standard for a Safe Workplace

Dianoush Emami is a California-based electrical engineer who has overseen the design and maintenance of many power plants, including electrical high voltage substations and transmission and distribution facilities. A core focus of Dianoush Emami is to maintain proper safety protocol in accordance with industry standards including those set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

One major aspect of keeping a work environment safe is to avoid the occurrence of trips, slips, and falls. To achieve this, OSHA outlined the basic requirements and general guidelines necessary for the maintenance of the workplaces in general industry firms, in the revised Walking-Working Surfaces (29 CFR 1910.21-30) standard.

Requirements of this standard include keeping workroom floors as clean and dry as possible, with employers accounting for weather-related hazards, including ice and snow. In the case of places that utilize wet processes, it is crucial to install proper drainage systems and to have a separate dry space where employees can work safely and comfortably.

In addition, an employer must check the work surface to ensure that it is capable of supporting the maximum load intended for the space. Overall, all walking-working surfaces must be inspected regularly or when needed, to maintain a safe working environment.

Foundational Safety Measures That Reduce Electric Utility Hazards

Dianoush Emami is a well established electrical engineering professional working out of California. Mr. Emami has overseen diverse projects that ensured the reliability and performance of power plants. A particular focus for Dianoush Emami involved the implementation of safety programs specific to various environmental remediation and power plant projects.

When it comes to electric utility hazards, the four most common sources of fatalities and injuries are falls, engulfment in confined spaces, electrocution, and fires and explosions. One of the logistic solutions to these issues is by moving the power control station to the ground level from a raised platform, thereby eliminating the occurrence of falls. Also, slip and fall incidents can be significantly reduced by using textured floor tape in place of floor paint. 

Employees can also put up engineering controls by using physical barriers like railings, machine guards, and locked-out machines, to prevent them from walking into dangerous situations. In addition to using protective equipment, raising awareness on proper safety protocol and adhering to a standard operating procedure can also help reduce the risk of getting injured or worse while on the job.

Conformity Assessment at the IEC

Dianoush Emami, an electrical engineer, holds a BS in electrical engineering from USC and an NRC credential in the state of California. A proven safety leader, Dianoush Emami has also managed substation equipment and provided strategic direction to move substation and distribution management systems into International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) specification standards.

To support specification standards, the IEC also advances all forms of conformity assessment. Conformity assessment provides assurance that products, systems, or services are safe by ensuring they adhere to the requirements of a specifications or standard. 

Not only does conformity assessment reduce trade barriers related to certification differences, it also improves efficiencies by removing the need for multiple testing and approval processes. The IEC currently manages four conformity assessment programs; electrotechnical equipment and components, equipment for use in explosive atmospheres, equipment for use in renewable energy systems, and electronic components. 

For additional information on conformity assessment at the IEC, as well as the scope of each of the four conformity assessment programs, visit www.iec.ch.

A Look at the Complexities of Energy Load Forecasting

Dianoush Emami has a background in electrical engineering, including extensive experience in the design and implementation of safety protocols and programs at power plants. Over the course of his career, Dianoush Emami has guided diverse geotechnical and structural elements for projects spanning power and water facilities, including the measurement and forecasting of electricity loads. 

The complexity of electricity load forecasting reflects the variety of generating units and their associated production capacities. Because it is difficult to store electricity, generation must meet consumption demands in real time to be profitable. “Electricity load” describes the direct relationship between electricity demand and electricity generation costs. 

Owners of generated electricity assets require an accurate forecast of expected load demands within specific markets. This is undertaken across forecast horizons ranging from as little as a single hour to a week or more. Factors taken into consideration include weather, season, day of week, and time. Accurate load forecasts require complex, nonlinear modeling of load-weather and other relationships.

Construction at Vogtle Power Plant Brings Jobs and Power

The recipient of a bachelor of science in electrical engineering (BSEE) from the University of Southern California, Dianoush Emami has led dozens of engineering projects for companies such as Bechtel Power Corporation over his long career. Among other notable projects, Dianoush Emami worked on specification administration for transformers, inverters, and other contracts at the Alvin F. Vogtle nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Georgia.

Construction on the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant began in 1974, with the first unit coming online in 1987 and a second unit opening in 1989. After nearly 20 years of service, officials determined that the plant was no longer adequate for the state’s power needs and approved a two-unit expansion in 2006. Construction on the two new units, which represented the first new nuclear construction in nearly thirty years, began in 2013 and is expected to be completed by 2020.

The new units will provide much-needed capacity to the plant and, once finished, will generate enough energy to power a half-million homes and businesses in the state. In addition to increased power production, the new construction at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant will bring multiple benefits to the community. For example, the construction process has added more than 6,000 jobs in the area, with 800 of these positions transitioning into permanent roles once construction is completed.

An Overview of Standards Development at the IEC

Accomplished safety professional and engineer Dianoush Emami holds a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California (USC) in addition to professional certificates and credentials. A former director at WESCON, Dianoush Emami also has been engaged with several working groups responsible for moving substation automation specifications into the IEC standard for substation and distribution management systems.

IEC refers to the International Electrotechnical Commission, an international standards development organization founded in 1906. In addition to managing an educational academy and providing tools and expert resources, the IEC develops consensus-based electrical systems standards. The organization focuses its efforts on conformity systems for electrotechnology, which encompasses electronic products and systems.

The IEC employs a management structure headed by its Standardization Management Board (SMB). Meanwhile, technical advisory committees ensure coordination across workgroups, strategic groups focus on market needs, and systems workgroups collaborate with the technical community. In addition, technical committees and subcommittees reporting to the SMB are formed with a specific scope on an as-needed basis.

Vogtle Nuclear Plant Powers Georgians’ Lives for Three Decades

Since graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in electrical engineering, Dianoush Emami has amassed a range of professional certifications in his field. Over the past almost 40 years, the electrical engineer has brought an emphasis on safety, quality, and compliance to multiple projects for the utility industry. Among Dianoush Emami’s largest-scale efforts is his work on the Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant.

Mr. Emami handled the administration of technical specifications for this project, located in Waynesboro, Georgia, close to the state’s border with South Carolina. The plant was named for a prominent executive in the electrical industry.

The initial construction activity on the original two-unit Vogtle plant began in 1974, with its first unit becoming operational in 1987. The second of the units followed two years later. The Westinghouse Electric Company manufactured the plant’s pressurized water reactors.

Today, the combined power of the Vogtle plant is able to generate more than 2,400 megawatts, enough power to support half a million homes and businesses. The plant employs some 900 people.

Situated in a rural area that is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, the Vogtle plant has been certified as a Wildlife Habitat Council site for 25 years. Hundreds of acres in the plant’s vicinity have been replanted with native evergreen species, and its management has participated in local programs designed to educate the public about environmental issues.

In 2009, the plant received a 20-year extension to its operating license.