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OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2025 Archive

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EPZ grounder

The Evolution of Personal Protective Grounding: Part 2

| Alan Drew | ,
Part 1 of this article began with discussion of the first American power systems, when lineworkers initially encountered the hazards of working on de-energized lines (see https://incident-prevention.com/blog/the-evolution-of-personal-protective-grounding-part-1/). This led to early personal protective grounding (PPG) efforts using trial and error. We also reviewed Charles Dalziel’s contributions toward a greater industry understanding of dangerous current levels. […]
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Figure 1

‘Avoid Contact’: Correctly Understanding the MAD Without a Distance

| George T. Cole, CUSP, CESCP, CESW, CIT, SGE | ,
For decades, air has been used to effectively and inexpensively maintain phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground clearances of overhead distribution and transmission power lines and electrical equipment. Air’s extremely high resistance offers excellent protection against the passage of current. The greater the nominal system voltage, the greater the air gap required to prevent a flashover and short-circuiting. […]
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Figure 1

Rethinking Arc Flash Labels for PV Projects

| Joe Jancauskas, P.E., CUSP, PMP | ,
Arc flash labels are a commonplace requirement for photovoltaic (PV) projects. However, arc flash studies and the resulting labels are sometimes treated as check-the-box exercises. In my experience as an engineer, I have found that questions are rarely asked regarding integration of PV arc flash labels into a safe, effective operations and maintenance plan. Engineers […]
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Safety By Design: Implementation and Operation

| Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP | ,
The first four articles in this six-part series outlined the significance of an organizational safety management system (SMS) that involves all employees. They emphasized effective risk mitigation through a well-developed plan for continuous improvement, with a focus on human and organizational performance. This article highlights critical operational processes that must be thoroughly assessed and refined […]
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Addressing the Elephant in the Room

| Jim Vaughn, CUSP |
There is an elephant in the room that plays a role in the safety culture of our industry. That elephant needs to be exposed, even though it’s going to be tough to do. Based on a less-than-official count, 12 to 14 lineworkers have lost their lives on the job over the past six months. The […]
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Accuracy Above All: Authoring Articles for iP Magazine

| Danny Raines, CUSP |
For over 17 years, I have had the distinct privilege of writing for Incident Prevention magazine. I am genuinely honored that iP continues to publish my articles. My first column was about the four principles of distribution cover-up. At last count, I had written and submitted more than 100 articles over the years. During that […]
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October-November 2025 Q&A

| Jim Vaughn, CUSP | ,
Q: We hear lots of opinions about whether a lineworker can lift a hot-line clamp that has a load on it. There is a rule that says disconnects must be rated for the load they are to break. We’ve been doing it forever. Are we breaking an OSHA rule or not? A: We have answered […]
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Verbal and Physical Triggers

| David McPeak, CUSP, CIT, CHST, CSP, CSSM |
Think before you act. That may be the single best piece of timeless wisdom we ever receive, especially when it comes to safety. And while it’s a simple concept, it’s not always our natural response, potentially presenting difficulties during job execution and task performance. Keeping in mind that safety tools are designed to give us […]
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Incident Prevention Magazine Series