Working groups
     Usually a fitter works under a foreman (who is himself under the direction of the electrical maintenance engineer) and a chargehand, who from his experience of the work is able to advise on how it should be done. On the job, each fitter usually has a mate, who is a semi-skilled man. He may also have an apprentice, whom he helps and gives the benefit of his experience.

Switchgear
     An important and regular function of the electrical fitter is the maintenance of switchgear. There are numerous switches of varying voltages in a power station. Their function is to make or break a circuit as required for normal operation and in many cases to break the circuit automatically when a fault occurs. The latter safeguards against serious damage to other plant when a particular piece of equipment develops a fault. The switchgear must, therefore, be maintained in good order and inspected and tested regularly in accordance with a predetermined schedule. Associated devices such as relays, fuses and control equipment must also be maintained.

Motors
     Most of the equipment in a power station is driven by electric motors. For example, the boiler house includes electrically operated coal pulverisers or chain-grate stokers, and forced draught fans, induced draught fans and secondary air fans to assist combustion. The coal-handling plant includes electrically operated cranes, coal truck tipplers and conveyor belts; the ash-handling plant includes ash crushers and sluice pumps, cranes and conveyors. These motors, in addition to those for driving the large circulating water pumps, must be tested, cleaned and maintained in good working order. They must be cleaned regularly with low-pressure air. They must be examined and tested for insulation resistance and latent faults. The windings may have to be replaced or cleaned with solvent and revarnished.
     The frequency of these overhauls depends upon the design of the equipment and its location and importance. For example, coal-handling equipment requires more frequent attention than, say, turbine house equipment. Whether the fitter can repair any particular breakdown would depend upon the extent and seriousness of the damage. Sometimes the manufacturers have to be called in. A fitter’s job is mainly preventive maintenance and is organised for the main purpose of keeping breakdowns to an absolute minimum.

Safety
     Power station equipment must be constructed and maintained according to certain standards of safety, so the electrical fitter is constantly concerned with this vital aspect. Some of the standards are compulsory, because laid down by statute; others are recommendations like those issued by