Electric utilities are part of the backbone of modern society, providing essential power to homes, businesses, emergency services providers and more. But this critical service is vulnerable to extreme weather events that can cause massive disruptions, damage infrastructure and jeopardize public safety. Due to the frequency and severity of such events, it is more important than ever for electric power organizations to have a comprehensive storm response plan in place. I’ve consistently been involved in storm response planning throughout my career, both as a lineman and a safety specialist…

In the first two parts of this six-part series, I discussed the importance of creating and implementing a safety management system (SMS) that actively involves all employees. This part will focus on (1) identifying and prioritizing an organization’s safety needs based on specific hazards and risks and (2) developing a plan with clear objectives and targets to meet those needs. Without a solid plan, it’s difficult to assess whether the SMS is effective and adds value to your organization. Early in my career, I didn’t fully grasp the significance of having a safety plan. I often experimented w…

“Yes, we are OSHA compliant. Our apprentice lineworkers are trained and certified by a local line school, which guarantees that the training they deliver meets OSHA standards. Every six months, we send the apprentices to the school for two weeks of hands-on training. They also take online classes in between the hands-on sessions; the online classes are delivered via a learning management system (LMS) operated by the school. It takes two years for an apprentice to complete the program. If the apprentice passes the written and practical exams delivered through the LMS, the line school then cert…

I receive numerous and varied questions about the safe use of bucket trucks in electric utility operations, so in this installment of “Voice of Experience,” I am going to share with you the OSHA standards you need to know as well as some things I have discovered during observations and audits of field crews. First, it is important to recognize that there is a substantial difference between Class A barehand bucket trucks and the Class B trucks used in gloving distribution. Class A barehand trucks are used for precisely that type of work; to protect employees, OSHA requires grounding the vehic…

Q: Can you direct us to information regarding “fuzzing” or “noisy tester” voltage detectors? We’ve heard that with noisy testers, there’s potential for both false negatives (no voltage is detected although it’s present) and false positives (voltage is indicated where none exists). We’ve also heard a noisy tester can be triggered by induction on a de-energized line, creating confusion in the field. Years ago, our company stated that noisy testers shouldn’t be used. We haven’t been able to find any justification as to why the company made this decision. Can you help us out? A: There is backing…

We typically excel at safety – after an incident. My question is, can we get it right before an incident occurs? And if so, how? Keeping in mind that you probably learned a stove could be hot by touching one as a child, let’s consider another question: Is it possible for us to develop safety-related values or are we doomed to learn the hard way? Take a look through the events and incidents listed below. Understanding why those individuals now use human and organizational performance (HOP) tools (e.g., checking; verification; say it out loud; event + response = outcome; step-by-step place-kee…

Planning saves lives. Whether you call it a job briefing or a tailboard, taking time before work begins to identify potential hazards, discuss elimination and mitigation strategies, and align the crew reduces the risk of incidents – and it’s an OSHA requirement per 29 CFR 1910.269(c). Studies consistently show that effective planning can prevent up to 70% of workplace accidents. But not all job briefings are created equal. Research based on 850,000 recorded safety conversations has revealed that many of these conversations fall short of their potential. The average score of these recorded…

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. According to ANSI/ASSP Z10, “Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems,” the phrase “employee involvement” refers to the active participation of workers in the planning, implementation, evaluation and improvement of an organization’s occupational health and safety management system (OHS…