Outdoor workers across various industries face numerous hazards on the job site. One sometimes overlooked yet potentially deadly threat is lightning. A leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, lightning strikes pose a significant risk to workers, surroundings and equipment. According to OSHA, in the U.S., over 300 people are struck by lightning every year, often causing victims injury, disability and even death. Understanding the dangers of lightning and implementing proper safety protocols, including the use of advanced detection technology, is critical for reducing risk and ensuring a safe working environment.  Dangers to Outdoor Workers Lightning is a powerful force of nature; a single bolt can contain up to 1 bil…

While temperatures have begun to cool across the country, heat emergencies can still occur. And because heat is the leading cause of death among all hazardous weather conditions in the U.S., OSHA recently published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings (see more at www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking). Would you know what to do if one of your co-workers collapsed on the job due to heat-related illness? Let’s say you are working in the right-of-way. It’s a simple pole transfer, but it’s being done out of the hooks. The temperature is already over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and expected to climb close to 100. There are four of you: you and Joe, the climbers, and two other …

In an increasingly complex and volatile business landscape, the ability to proactively identify, assess and mitigate risks is not merely a valuable skill – it’s a strategic imperative for sustainable success. As leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, our capacity to anticipate and navigate risks can be the difference between stagnation and growth and between surviving and thriving in a rapidly evolving world. Risk management is not a one-time task but a continuous process that requires vigilance, adaptability and foresight. By cultivating a proactive approach to risk reduction, we can enhance our resilience, protect our assets, and seize opportunities for innovation and growth. Now, in this exploration of the principles of proactive risk…

In 2013, tree trimming was a different game. We worked hard, but safety protocols were often viewed as an inconvenience rather than a necessity. I guess you could say it was a bit like the Wild West – we did what we needed to do to get the job done. Most days, there wasn’t anyone to come out to observe us working, so the only days we really made sure we did our work by the book were the days when someone from the office visited our site. Training wasn’t part of our everyday tasks because the work was primarily done on a production basis – and no one wanted to stop production. They wanted to get the job done. We didn’t delve into human performance either, and we didn’t talk about tools or traps or how to identify them. Like many others I …

I am not a person who puts much stock in luck. I believe that in our line of business, it takes the correct tools to do a job correctly – especially since I’ve been the victim of a 4-inch lag to the forehead while trying to use a bell wrench as a hammer. I also believe that how you use those tools is equally important. And finally, I believe that there are times when we need a little help from documents called “best practices.” What exactly is a best practice? It is a set of guidelines, ethics or ideas that represent the most efficient or prudent course of action in a given situation. Essentially, it’s documentation of a procedure that is the most effective in performing a task safely. Best practices may be established by authorities, or…

Editor’s Note: This month’s Tailgate Topic has timely advice to ensure crews working with unknown subcontractors are kept safe. Remember that OSHA requires those subcontractors to be qualified for the assigned task and that their employer is responsible for their safety. Having subcontractors observe and participate in a line crew’s tailboard is a good way to help them ensure safety without directly supervising their work practices. Most state’s dig laws restrict the use of mechanized equipment within specified tolerance zones of buried utilities. Because of these laws, hydro-excavation trucks working in conjunction with electric line crews are now more prevalent throughout the industry. Hydro excavation removes soil with pressurized wat…

As EHS professionals, we may scoff at first when a worker asks us, “Seriously, do you really care about what I’m doing?” But this question has a much deeper meaning than you may think. In our day-to-day activities, much of the relationship building and many of the general discussions fall to skill-of-the-craft concepts. This means there is tremendous variability between individuals regarding how they approach and connect with people at a personal level. Many companies have abandoned engagement-based or team-based training due to budget restraints or a perceived lack of value, so there isn’t a consistent approach or even a dedicated effort to having engagement in the field. For many EHS professionals, unfortunately there is just not enoug…

In the fast-paced world of utility work, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “This is just a quick job” or “I’ve done this a thousand times.” These thoughts can lead to complacency and poor decision-making around proper personal protective equipment use, including flame-resistant and arc-rated apparel. In this month’s Tailgate Topic, we’ll explore how to combat such complacency. Many utility job tasks carry inherent risks, whether it’s working near live electrical equipment or navigating challenging terrain. Regular training sessions serve as invaluable opportunities to reinforce safety protocols. These sessions should cover the correct use of PPE as well as delve into the rationale behind the need for it. Additionally, familiar…

I am sure that the safety leaders reading this Tailgate Topic have heard some or all of the following phases: “I’m my brother’s keeper,” “Don’t get hurt,” “Work in a manner that prevents injury,” and “Keep your head in the game.” These phrases are well-intended; they serve as a reminder to keep safety top of mind. But using them will not prevent incidents. I recently reviewed an incident that resulted in an injury for a client. That client has a very good safety program and culture. The incident report included feedback from co-workers of the injured party (we’ll call him “John”), who said things like, “I knew John was going to get hurt one of these days” and “I was too busy doing my own work; it’s not my fault John got hurt.” All of us …

Incidents on job sites can cause pain and mental anguish, disrupt project timelines, escalate costs and have lasting repercussions on an employer’s safety performance record. When an incident occurs, company management and safety professionals must respond in a timely manner. Typically, the first responsive action is obtaining detailed information about the incident as quickly as possible. Ask about any injuries that may have occurred and their severity, as well as whether the injured party is still on the scene or has been transported to a medical facility. Find out if emergency responders and law enforcement have been notified if they aren’t already present at the scene. The health and safety of an employer’s human assets should be the…

Earlier this year I wrote a Tailgate Topic titled “The Fly in the Ointment” (see https://incident- prevention.com/blog/the-fly-in-the-ointment) – but I probably should have written this Tailgate first. Why? Because sometimes, the fly becomes a problem because of the ointment. By that I mean a work environment can become toxic due to one or more of the people managing it. Like many of you who have had the same experience, I have worked for people whose management skills were so poor that it negatively impacted my performance and the performance of others on my team. In fact, one of the greatest gigs of my life was destroyed in large part by one such manager. Have you seen the image that shows the difference between a boss and a leader? In…

Andy Clark’s book “The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality” was just published in May. The science he discusses in the book is not new, but the methods used to understand our brain are relatively new. This begs the question: Are we basing our safety training on an older model of the human brain? That older model is an orderly cause-and-effect/stimulus-and-response system. Essentially, if we train to respond appropriately to stimuli, we think we are all set. We imagine our brain patiently awaiting stimuli and sensory information so it can send out the appropriate responses. Much of the older model was derived from brain autopsies. But as Tan Le states in her book “The NeuroGeneration,” “Dead brains don’t talk.” The…

Properly identifying energized cables is critical to worker safety. Over the course of my 30-year career, I’ve become aware of more than one cable splicer who suffered serious burns after attempting to cut into a live cable that was not properly identified or de-energized. Proper cable identification procedures may take some extra time on a job, but the cost of that extra time does not compare to the cost of a worker being injured and the aftermath that may follow. In my experience, it’s not safe to cut any cable based on tags, chips, duct position, cable size, the word of an inspector or other splicer, or the proximity to the utility easement. Tools are available that reliably identify an exposed cable in a ditch. “Reliably” means the s…

I recently read a great blog post titled “If You’re in the Line of Fire, It Has the Right of Way” (see https://fridaysareforthemen.com/fr4tm-blog/f/if-youre-in-the-line-of-fire-it-has-the-right-of-way). The post provides an account of a line-of-fire incident and covers the importance of situational awareness. The following three sentences resonated with me: “I believe line of fire hazards are most dangerous when we become task focused and subconsciously place our blinders on. Can you remember a time where you were immersed in your work and you became unaware of everything going on around you? It’s important to be engaged in our work, however we need to keep our head on a swivel, periodically checking our surroundings and rely on spotters…

“The fly in the ointment” is an old phrase that refers to an individual who spoils things for the whole bunch, someone who has dark energy that affects an entire group. It has become my greatest concern in line work. Now, you may scoff at my use of the word “energy,” but the truth is that we are all either transmitters or receivers of energy, and all of this energy is transmitted or received in frequencies. The entire universe functions on a nodal frequency of 432 Hz. That’s the frequency of the Fibonacci sequence that gives the diameters and spirals to our galaxies and even to chambered nautiluses deep in the ocean. And 528 Hz is the solfeggio frequency – the human vibration pattern that brings us in tune with every subatomic structure …

This is Aaron’s story, told by his mother, Jenny. Aaron’s father, Dave, loved his job. He was always tinkering with things and could never just sit still. Dave was wonderful, thoughtful, funny and caring – the most beautiful man I’ve ever known. When Aaron was born, you could see the love, devotion and pride in Dave’s eyes. As Aaron grew up, Dave wanted to be there when he woke up in the morning, play with him throughout the day and put him to bed at night. He cut back on overtime and jobs away from home so he could spend more time with Aaron. The thing that stands out most in my mind about how Dave and Aaron got along was when Aaron was 6 years old and wanted to play soccer. Dave told me it was so funny watching the boy play. Aaron was …

The human imagination leads to invention, invention leads to innovation, and innovation leads to progress. The brainpower of humanity is why we have space travel, the electric grid and a cellphone in nearly every pocket. Who knows what we will come up with in another 50 years. Humans also have an amazing capacity for making ourselves believe things that may or may not be true. Self-awareness and rationalization are two of the most fundamental differences between humans and other animals. Because humans are capable of so much, we sometimes think we can do things that we simply cannot. One issue that I confront every day with my workforce ties into the categories of complacency and risk tolerance. By now, most if not all of us know what it…

Triage is a common tool used to prioritize medical treatment based on urgency of need and severity of the injury or condition. For example, in mass-casualty incidents, victims are tagged using a color-coded system that identifies which individuals should get transported to the hospital first. Colors may vary depending on the triage system you use, but typically there are four colors – red, yellow, green and black – with red indicating that immediate transportation is required while black means that the individual likely will not survive. Beyond its medical uses, triage is also highly useful for prioritizing power restoration after a storm. For example, if a substation transformer blows up and another one isn’t readily available, the outa…

I first got into the electric utility industry in 1965 when I was hired to work as a lineman’s helper. Lineman’s helpers were also called by another name: grunt. At that time, you were not considered a grown adult until you were 21 years of age. I was just 18 in 1965. I could not drink, I could not vote, and I could not be a lineman, but I could be a grunt. So, I grunted for a couple of years and then went into the U.S. Army for a tour. The job the military chose for me was light weapons infantryman, so I was essentially still a grunt.