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iPi Monthly Forum for Utility Professionals

The iPi monthly forum is where you can get answers to questions you have from subject matter experts like David McPeak, Jim Vaughn, Danny Raines and other utility safety and ops professionals like yourself. Forums will include industry specific topics, challenges, trends, and solutions along with best practices in leadership, operations, and safety.

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KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT AND STRATEGY FOR UTILITY SAFETY & OPS PROFESSIONALS

Effective worker protection demands precise equipment selection, thorough worker training and well-rehearsed rescue procedures.
The electric transmission and distribution (T&D) industry often requires work in challenging environments. Whether crew members access tall structures by helicopter, use rope-access methods to climb lattice towers, or ride wire carts to install and maintain spacers along energized lines, their approach goes beyond standard ground-based operations. These specialized techniques can speed up projects, minimize […]

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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Holistic worker wellness isn’t a passing trend – it’s a critical component of workplace safety and strong organizational performance.
Photo: Bulwark Protection
A layered approach that includes FR/AR undergarments can enhance worker safety, comfort and compliance.


A retired lineman recalls details and lessons learned from an electrical contact that killed his best friend.
This story is about a devastating accident that took the life of one of my best friends many years ago. I have always been somewhat reluctant to speak or write about it because dealing with my friend’s family in the aftermath of his death was extremely painful. As time has marched on, however, I’ve found myself thinking it’s time to share the details of the accident with other lineworkers in hope…
Proper equipment setup is critical to both worker safety and productivity.
Utility workers face numerous challenges in their quest to build, maintain and improve infrastructure. One significant yet sometimes overlooked challenge is the risk associated with equipment instability. Crucial aspects of equipment setup include stabilization of the machine and selection of appropriate supporting materials – such as outrigger pads and cribbing blocks – to enhance work-site safe…
The pastor of the church I attend recently delivered a sermon that deeply resonated with me and inspired the title of this article. Around that time, I’d been ruminating on some incidents I was investigating as part of my consulting work. I’d read the accident reports and conducted employee intervi…
Q: I’m a municipal utility substation engineer, and I’m hoping you can help me with this question: Does an engineer taking photos in a substation fall under the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 work rules? A: The simple answer is yes. No matter your training or education, if you must be inside the fence to…
By empowering workers to be actively involved in safety system management, employers can tap into their unique perspectives to better identify and tackle risks.
In the first part of this six-part series, I discussed the reasons why it’s important for utility organizations to develop safety systems that align their safety initiatives. This article will address employee involvement, an often overlooked yet fundamental component of any effective safety system…
I’ve written about equipotential grounding for Incident Prevention magazine dozens of times over the past 15 years, both in this column and in the Q&A. Those articles have had thousands of views on Incident Prevention’s website, which suggests that their messaging should be getting through to i…

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A layered approach that includes FR/AR undergarments can enhance worker safety, comfort and compliance.
Given the arc flash hazards and other risks that exist in electric utility work environments, an employer’s commitment to employee safety must never falter. It is essential for workers to wear personal protective equipment in these environments; in particular, prior to exposure, workers must don fl…
Crews who consistently discuss their safety concerns before work begins create more opportunities to mitigate or eliminate hazards.
As someone employed in the electric utility industry, would you be willing to consider that there may be incident prevention strategies yet to be discovered and tested? Are you open to the idea that a better model could exist to create change in our industry – change that could reduce or even elimi…
Effective worker protection demands precise equipment selection, thorough worker training and well-rehearsed rescue procedures.
The electric transmission and distribution (T&D) industry often requires work in challenging environments. Whether crew members access tall structures by helicopter, use rope-access methods to climb lattice towers, or ride wire carts to install and maintain spacers along energized lines, their…
Featured Products

Body Belt

When working at height, comfort and security are as important as durability and compliance. That’s why Buckingham developed the BuckSeat Body Belt, part of the company’s trusted line of work-positioning belts. Designed for lineworkers and utility professionals, it provides all-day support with a bu…

Safety Management


NECA Photo
The electric transmission and distribution (T&D) industry often requires work in challenging environments. Whether crew members access tall structures by helicopter, use rope-access methods to climb lattice towers, or ride wire carts to install and maintain spacers along energized lines, their…
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Utility workers perform essential tasks that touch millions of lives every day. The critical nature of the services they provide coupled with the perilous nature of their tasks exposes these workers to life-threatening hazards. This is why the industry highly values and prioritizes safety. Many…
In the first part of this six-part series, I discussed the reasons why it’s important for utility organizations to develop safety systems that align their safety initiatives. This article will address employee involvement, an often overlooked yet fundamental component of any effective safety system…
Let’s kick off this new series by considering a simple question: Why do we need safety? Here’s my answer: Safety is a must because hazards and threats exist in our work environments that could cause harm to both our employees and our organizations. Any initiative designed to protect workers f…
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Holistic worker wellness isn’t a passing trend – it’s a critical component of workplace safety and strong organizational performance.
Utility workers perform essential tasks that touch millions of lives every day. The critical nature of the services they provide coupled with the perilous nature of their tasks exposes these workers to life-threatening hazards. This is why the industry highly values and prioritizes safety. Many…
By empowering workers to be actively involved in safety system management, employers can tap into their unique perspectives to better identify and tackle risks.
In the first part of this six-part series, I discussed the reasons why it’s important for utility organizations to develop safety systems that align their safety initiatives. This article will address employee involvement, an often overlooked yet fundamental component of any effective safety system…
Employers can more effectively protect employees by using a planned process to develop their safety initiatives.
Let’s kick off this new series by considering a simple question: Why do we need safety? Here’s my answer: Safety is a must because hazards and threats exist in our work environments that could cause harm to both our employees and our organizations. Any initiative designed to protect workers f…
Holistic worker wellness isn’t a passing trend – it’s a critical component of workplace safety and strong organizational performance.

Making the Safety Connection: The Impact of Total Well-Being in the Workplace

Utility workers perform essential tasks that touch millions of lives every day. The critical nature of the services they provide coupled with the perilous nature of their tasks exposes these workers to life-threatening hazards. This is why the industry highly values and prioritizes safety. Many…
Holistic worker wellness isn’t a passing trend – it’s a critical component of workplace safety and strong organizational performance.
Utility workers perform essential tasks that touch millions of lives every day. The critical nature of the services they provide coupled with the perilous nature of their tasks exposes these workers to life-threatening hazards. This is why the industry highly values and prioritizes safety. Many utility companie…
Research indicates use of these practical tactics can help safety professionals garner greater leadership support for their programs.
In a recent survey we conducted, 97% of safety professionals who responded confirmed that gaining senior leader buy-in for their safety programs was either very important or extremely important to them. This research project was a joint effort between the National Electrical Contractors Associat…
Assessing employees holistically provides an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference – in safety and beyond.
There is an inextricable link between employee safety and mental and physical wellness that is often overlooked. Taking a holistic view of your employees includes looking wholly at each person to better understand and address their mental and physical health challenges and related distractions that…
lipinski-ip-junjul24-2
As organizations navigate an increasingly complex business landscape, the importance of frontline leadership development cannot be overstated.
Frontline managers are crucial because they bridge organizational goals and frontline employees. They significantly influence workplace dynamics and performance outcomes. In this context, my company surveyed 110 safety professionals and interviewed 10 safety professionals across various industries…

Worksite Safety


NECA Photo
The electric transmission and distribution (T&D) industry often requires work in challenging environments. Whether crew members access tall structures by helicopter, use rope-access methods to climb lattice towers, or ride wire carts to install and maintain spacers along energized lines, their…
Martin Art
As someone employed in the electric utility industry, would you be willing to consider that there may be incident prevention strategies yet to be discovered and tested? Are you open to the idea that a better model could exist to create change in our industry – change that could reduce or even elimi…
Photo: Bulwark Protection
Given the arc flash hazards and other risks that exist in electric utility work environments, an employer’s commitment to employee safety must never falter. It is essential for workers to wear personal protective equipment in these environments; in particular, prior to exposure, workers must don fl…
Step 4
This story is about a devastating accident that took the life of one of my best friends many years ago. I have always been somewhat reluctant to speak or write about it because dealing with my friend’s family in the aftermath of his death was extremely painful. As time has marched on, however, I’ve…
Martin Art
Crews who consistently discuss their safety concerns before work begins create more opportunities to mitigate or eliminate hazards.
As someone employed in the electric utility industry, would you be willing to consider that there may be incident prevention strategies yet to be discovered and tested? Are you open to the idea that a better model could exist to create change in our industry – change that could reduce or even elimi…
Photo: Bulwark Protection
A layered approach that includes FR/AR undergarments can enhance worker safety, comfort and compliance.
Given the arc flash hazards and other risks that exist in electric utility work environments, an employer’s commitment to employee safety must never falter. It is essential for workers to wear personal protective equipment in these environments; in particular, prior to exposure, workers must don fl…
Step 4
A retired lineman recalls details and lessons learned from an electrical contact that killed his best friend.
This story is about a devastating accident that took the life of one of my best friends many years ago. I have always been somewhat reluctant to speak or write about it because dealing with my friend’s family in the aftermath of his death was extremely painful. As time has marched on, however, I’ve…

4 Strategies to Facilitate Effective Knowledge Transfer

Effectively transferring knowledge from tenured employees to new hires and those climbing the ranks is one of the most significant challenges utility organizations must reckon with. The workforce is continuously evolving, so it is essential to ensure that valuable insights and expertise are not lost when employees leave or retire. This Tailgate Topic explores four strategies that utilities and contractors can deploy to facilitate successful knowledge transfer among employees. 1. Design and Develop a Mentorship Program Mentorship has long been recognized as a powerful tool for knowledge sh…
Robert (RL) Eisenbach, CUSP, SMS
Robert (RL) Eisenbach, CUSP, SMS
Several years ago, a good friend of mine who worked in the utility industry drove his truck headlong into a tractor-trailer parked along a highway shoulder. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving his wife a widow and their children without a father. Fast-forward one year later. After condu…
Brent Jeffries
Brent Jeffries

Lineworkers are accustomed to hearing that they must completely focus on the task they’re performing. For safety reasons, staying fully present and mentally focused on the work at hand is critical in the high-stakes, hazardous environments these employees often find themselves in. Maintaining fu…
Bill Martin, CUSP, NRP, RN, DIMM, and Michelle Forkey
Bill Martin, CUSP, NRP, RN, DIMM, and Michelle Forkey

If you’re like me, you’ve only encountered sheep at a petting zoo, so here’s a fun fact about them: sheep have rectangular pupils. I included that to make sure you learn something today and to challenge us to explore other sheep characteristics and what we can learn from sheep-shepherd relationship…
Your primary strategy must be to manage your own attitude and actively care about each of your team members.
One of the questions I’m most frequently asked during leadership classes is how to handle people with bad attitudes. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to share some highlights from those discussions. I will remind you that leadership is much more of an art than a science. There is no perfect ro…

We must positively reinforce success for it to be repeated.
The primary goal of safety is to prevent injuries. We achieve that goal in most cases, though our rare failures often overshadow our frequent successes. And while it’s essential to analyze failures and apply lessons learned, it’s equally if not more important to highlight and replicate our successe…
Overcoming legacy culture and fostering psychological safety requires an accurate assessment of where you have been, where you are now and where you want to be.
A trainer, speaking to trainees at the start of class: “Welcome, class. You are encouraged to ask questions and participate. Remember, if you have a question, 15% to 20% of the class probably has the same question.” A trainee, a few hours later: “I have a question.” The trainee then asks the tra…
The pastor of the church I attend recently delivered a sermon that deeply resonated with me and inspired the title of this article. Around that time, I’d been ruminating on some incidents I was investigating as part of my consulting work. I’d read the accident reports and conducted employee intervi…
It’s a little late to say Happy New Year, but I still want to wish all of you a fantastic and safe 2025. One of my hopes for this year is that I won’t be asked to investigate another incident or fatality – because we’ll all work together to ensure they never occur. We’ve had more than enough injuri…
I was so excited when I became a journeyman lineman in the early 1970s. In those days, there was no such thing as a journeyman ticket – a union member or business agent would let you know that you had arrived. Seniority alone was the driver. I was a union lineman in IBEW 84/896 located in Macon…
To emphasize the critical importance of the meter base checkout procedure, this installment of “Voice of Experience” will cover the proper procedures for (1) checking out a meter base before setting a self-contained meter on new services and (2) resetting a meter after it has been removed and the b…

Q&A

Q: I’m a municipal utility substation engineer, and I’m hoping you can help me with this question: Does an engineer taking photos in a substation fall under the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 work rules? A: The simple answer is yes. No matter your training or education, if you must be inside the fence to take the photos, you are required to meet the 1910.269(a)(2) qualification standards. The error p…
Q: Here in Australia, we recently read Jim Vaughn’s “Trainer the Trainer 101: Substation Entry Policies” (https://incident-prevention.com/blog/train-the-trainer-101-substation-entry-policies/). We have a 415-volt substation on-site; its doors and cabinets are locked. However, we are not comfortable allowing entry to the substation without some control over who is able to enter and the qualificati…