Design and Evaluation of a Password-Based Switching Authorization System for Electric Lineman Safety

This paper specified the architecture, controller states, a proposed algorithm and an evaluation protocol for an Arduino-based password-authorized switching system for lineman safety, and analysed its residual risks. The basic concept is established in earlier work; the contribution lies in the explicit state model and safe-behaviour requirements, the rejection of automatic re-closing in favour of deliberate authorization with confirmation, and a reproducible low-voltage test plan. Because no measurements are available, no claim of effectiveness is made, and the system does not guarantee lineman safety. It should be used only as an additional measure alongside isolation, lockout/tagout and verification of de-energization. Future work, none of which is implemented, includes completing the evaluation of Section VII; adding attempt limiting and per-user or one-time credentials; logging of attempts and operations; independent state feedback from the load side; a hardware interlock that does not depend on the microcontroller; a defined fail-safe relay default and backup supply; and, if remote features are added, a security analysis of the communication path.

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