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 safety.
Case Study: EnergyUnited From busy roadsides to uneven terrain and unstable surfaces, utility workers are no strangers to operating in precarious environments. These conditions can increase the risk of equipment tip-overs, which remain one of the most common – and preventable – job-site accidents. The consequences of such accidents range from…
In the world of utility work, where daily tasks often involve inherent risks, the need for a robust support system for workers’ safety and welfare cannot be overstated. This is where the United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (USMWF) comes in. Established with a mission to honor the memories of fallen workers and advocate for safe workplaces, the USMWF has made remarkable strides in raising awareness, supporting families affected by workplace tragedies and driving meaningful change.
But what exactly does this organization offer to the utility industry, and why should utility professionals consider collaborating with or supporting the USMWF? This article will explore the organization’s background, mission, core activities …
Utilities and utility contractors highly value safety. However, labor shortages can sometimes corner field supervisors into making a judgment call about whether an equipment operator is ready for the task. If Foreman A believes an operator is ready after several weeks of training but Foreman B believes the operator still needs several months, who is right? Training directors can support their field supervisors by objectively preparing operators to be ready for hazardous or complex work.
Images courtesy of CM Labs
When time is of the essence, especially during storm response to return power to customers, field supervisors need to have confidence in the skill set of th…
Hand protection has evolved in recent times, perhaps making the greatest advancements in the past decade. Although the primary focus of this article is hand protection for electrical shock and arc flash hazards, it also explores the multihazard protection incorporated into newer-generation hand protection, examines safe work practices and glove testing methods, and provides updates on international standards work.
A few decades ago, hand protection consisted of leather gloves (mostly cowhide) used mainly for mechanical protection. Hand protection evolved to address specific hazards, such as extreme heat or cold, vibration, cut resistance, conductivity, electrical (dielectric or voltage rated), and gloves that protect other gloves. Examin…
Insulating aerial devices and digger derricks are used to provide a level of protection to their operators and ground personnel who work around energized power lines. Following established safe work procedures is critical, as is testing and maintaining the equipment so that it continues to provide the insulation users expect. You cannot simply look at a unit to determine if it will provide the insulation expected; it must be tested.
Qualification testing can only be done with an AC testing machine. The test is conducted by qualified service personnel anytime the fiberglass boom section is modified or replaced. A written record of all dielectric tests should be maintained, in…
Aerial line work using helicopters is a proven method utilized in our industry to perform certain tasks safely and efficiently. Helicopters have supported the utility industry since 1947. Operators conducting aerial work in support of the utility industry encounter different hazards due to various flight profiles, terrain, infrastructure and weather environments. Aerial work concerning the utility industry exposes aircraft and operators to the same hazards of any aircraft that operates at low altitudes and slow speeds. The first step of a safety system approach to mitigating risk is to define the operational environment and outline the hazards associated with each flight profile.
Risk Assessment Tools and Procedures Line work and flying …
In the utility industry, the reliance on flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments has been a longstanding practice to safeguard workers against arc flashes and flash fires. Crafted from specially engineered, self-extinguishing fabrics and adhering to stringent testing standards, these garments play a crucial role in preventing or minimizing the severity of injuries.
You should know that single-layer FR/AR clothing does not trap heat or restrict heat removal any more than regular non-FR clothing does. A person primarily sheds heat through evaporation of sweat once the air temperature is greater than their body’s temperature. When the ability to sweat is restricted, however, or when it is lost altogether – due to physiological cond…
Editor’s Note: This timely article specifically addresses the contemporary issue of green-energy backfeed endangering power-line workers. Unlike engine-powered backup generators, green energy makes no telltale noise to alert workers to its presence and possible hazards. Incident Prevention encourages all employers to assess the risks related to backup energy sources and adopt effective storm-work hazard analysis, isolation and other protective procedures for worker safety.
It is night and you are working storm trouble on a single-phase line. The line fuse is blown, and you find wire down. Then you notice that the customer beyond the broken section of wire still has power. Is there a two-way feed on this phase? Did you identify the correc…
I don’t talk about myself a lot – I listen. I developed this skill after taking on a leadership position with a utility contractor in an industry I knew nothing about.
My work history prior to this role included management in pretty much every industry except utilities. In each of my previous jobs, I strived to learn and advance from an entry-level position. In this new position, I no longer had the advantage of knowing how the company ran from the ground up; I had to trust and depend on others to help me. It did not take me long to realize that safety is the most important priority in this industry. Lack of attention to the detail of safety can kill a lineworker and damage a company beyond repair. So, while you could say our company’s j…
In 2009, OSHA published a safety and health information bulletin in part because of the seriousness of injuries that have occurred with skid-steer loaders (see www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/shib011209.pdf). Similarly, NIOSH published an alert in December 2010 in response to the hazards and serious injuries that have occurred with these machines (see www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-128/default.html).
In their published documents, the two agencies aim to make employers and employees aware of the need to review and follow manufacturer instructions regarding proper use of skid-steer loaders. Both documents emphasize the importance of conducting training on the operation, inspection, maintenance and testing of the machine’s safety…
Many workers in the utilities space bravely put their personal safety at risk every day on the job. Facing potential hazards such as arc flashes, flash fires and unpredictable elements of nature, these workers’ personal protective equipment – particularly their garments – is their last line of defense. However, proper apparel use can sometimes be overlooked or deprioritized, putting workers at greater risk of injury.
Whether you’re responsible for a few employees or 1,000, getting your team properly trained in the appropriate use of flame-resistant and arc-rated (FR/AR) apparel helps to ensure that they will return home safely at the end of every shift. In the remainder of this article, we’ll explore five topics to integrate into your te…
In the classic 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Jimmy Stewart plays the role of George Bailey. Due to a series of unfortunate events, George makes a desperate attempt to right the things that have turned his world upside down. He even says that maybe things would be better if he had never been born. George then gets to witness what the world would be like if he had never been born. He sees many events that would have taken place differently because he was not there. In the end, George can see all the good his life has brought to others. He sees what a wonderful life he’s had.
Fast-forward to 1989’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” and Clark W. Griswold, too, experiences all kinds of things going wrong. He can’t get the Christma…
Avocado toast has become all the rage at restaurants and on social media posts over the past several years. I eat it; it is delectable. You make it by toasting some bread, adding some ripe avocado and maybe some salt, and then maybe some tomatoes or sprouts. Easy, right?
Now, I want you to think of making this dish, but consider it from a safety angle. Avocado toast can be a hazardous dish to prepare. You must toast bread, which is a potential fire hazard, and you have to cut open an avocado. Unfortunately, people sometimes do this by holding the avocado in their hand, which can result in line-of-fire or knife-related cuts to their hands and wrists. In fact, these injuries are so common that they have a medical term – “Avocado Hand” – an…
Workers in the electric utility industry face various hazards, and in cooler climates, this includes potential cold stress. Cold stress occurs when the skin’s temperature drops, lowering internal body temperature and inhibiting the body’s ability to warm itself. If unchecked, exposure to cold can lead to several medical conditions, including trench foot, chilblains, frostbite and hypothermia.
Flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments can be worn by workers to help protect them from both cold stress and potential burn injuries due to arc flashes and flash fires. Employers must ensure workers wear the garments properly and consistently to minimize environmental effects. They must also train workers on how to manage their work in col…
Most of us never plan for an accident to occur on the job site, and there is no way we can know how an individual or crew will respond to the trauma of seeing a teammate injured or killed.
That’s something I learned when my crew watched me take the combined induction from two energized 500,000-volt circuits for roughly 30 seconds. The incident tested the crew’s emergency preparedness, and in my opinion, we could have done better. Yes, I survived. But the choices made after my high-voltage contact could have proven deadly had my injuries been more significant.
Some Background On the morning of my incident, during the pre-job briefing, my crew members and I discussed our emergency action plan. Part of the plan was to utilize the contract h…
People have finally discovered one of the best unkept secrets in America: Our utility systems can be attacked, and it doesn’t take military tacticians to pull it off.
Activists have recently renewed calls for more attacks that disrupt essential utility services and create chaos. Previously, terrorist groups focused on disabling the bulk power grid by attacking assets such as Pacific Gas & Electric’s Metcalf transmission substation. Now, their target list has grown to include distribution substations and the critical infrastructure of small and midsized utilities. This new strategy aims to inspire harassing attacks on lower-tier infrastructure assets across the U.S. The purpose of these attacks is to create widespread disruptions of e…
Anatomically modern humans emerged over 100,000 years ago. For the bulk of that time, the environment in which we lived didn’t change much or very quickly. Now, think about how much the world has changed in just the last 100 years. One interesting thing to consider is how modern human innovation has continued to overcome innate human deficiencies. We control the environment around us now more than ever, including the way we travel, the way we enjoy the arts, the way we grow our food, the way we care for our sick and injured, and – to bring this point home – the way we protect ourselves.
Today, in our industry, we have access to state-of-the-art training facilities, cutting-edge tools and advanced protective equipment. Our brains, on the …
Due to the nature of the job, lineworkers may be required to climb several hundred feet – perhaps multiple times per day – just to get to work. Studies show that reducing worker fatigue has a significant effect on lowering the number of on-the-job incidents. And recent advancements in battery technology plus fierce competition in the powered ascender space have made these devices more common in the workplace. But what exactly is a powered ascender, and how can it help reduce worker fatigue?
The concept of powered rope-climbing assist devices has been around for decades. Commercially available and modified home-built units began appearing on job sites in the 1990s. Original units were modified two-cycle engines adapted to rudimentary caps…
Power Delivery leaders and supervisors at Georgia Power are working on initiatives to increase their time in the field and demonstrate active caring. However, as they work through managing meetings, to-do lists, deadlines and time constraints, finding time to be in the field can be difficult. As Power Delivery works to meet this challenge, Georgia Power has implemented an innovative idea and tapped into a reliable and obvious resource.
“We looked at bringing in safety specialists but realized the best thing to do was to see if retirees who were familiar with the jobs and who knew what they needed to look for might be willing to come back to work,” said Clarence Spencer, a Georgia Power safety and health supervisor.
As part of the company…
Lineworkers rely on a variety of tools when working from the bucket of an aerial device. Safe work practices require that these tools not create additional exposure to electrocution. Hand tools – such as bolt cutters, knives, pliers and wire strippers – are often made of metal. So, when employees are working in aerial devices, employers typically require hand tools to be insulated with layers of nonconductive material, such as plastic or nylon.
Power tools (e.g., drills, impact wrenches, circle saws, chainsaws, crimpers, cutters) are also used in the bucket. Historically, hydraulically powered tools were the only option available, but trends are changing and options for battery-powered equipment are expanding. The remainder of this artic…
