Featured Archives

Matted Surfaces: Safety Considerations and Controls

Written by Nathan Boutwell, M.Eng., CSP, SMS, CIT, CUSP; Nick Powers; and Bill Hinrichs, CUSP on February 18, 2023. Posted in Worksite Safety.

It’s a busy time in our industry. We have challenges associated with normal operations and maintenance of the grid. We’re also faced with new and increasing work involving distributed generation, vehicle charging infrastructure and major transmission projects. Both existing and emerging work require access to the respective work areas, and with this comes the associated hazards of off-road access work. As an industry, we talk about the electrical hazards of our work all the time, and we should. But we don’t spend a lot of time talking about access work hazards before and after the electrical...

Gauges How to Measure Safety February 23

Gauges: How Do You Measure Safety?

Written by Dwight Miller, CLCP, CUSP on February 18, 2023. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

The small utility had just lost two journeymen linemen to contractors, and they needed replacements who could hit the ground running. So, the company held some interviews and hired two seasoned journeymen.

Industry trends to improve worker readiness feburary23

Industry Trends and Solutions to Improve Worker Readiness

Written by Kyle Schmoyer and Kris Corbett on February 18, 2023. Posted in Safety Management.

The moral and legal obligations to provide workers with a safe workplace are just two of the reasons companies should want to keep their employees safe. However, another big motivator for businesses is how extraordinarily disruptive and costly workplace accidents, injuries and illnesses are for their operations. For example, Liberty Mutual estimated that U.S. employers paid over $1 billion per week in workers’ compensation for disabling workplace injuries in 2018 (see www.osha.gov/businesscase). The actual price of work-related injuries and deaths is much more than just workers’...

Sustainability Considerations When Evaluating FR/AR Apparel February 23

3 Sustainability Considerations When Evaluating FR/AR Apparel

Written by Josh Moody on February 18, 2023. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) apparel are garments specifically designed to protect the wearer from the hazards of flame and heat, including arc flash and flash fire. This type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is most commonly worn by workers in high-risk industries such as electric utilities, welding, and oil and gas. Donning of FR/AR apparel is one of the most essential practices in place for protecting workers from the flame and heat hazards they may encounter on the job. However, this type of clothing also has a significant impact on the environment. As legislation and consumer...

Increasing Safety Through Underground Integrity Management

Written by Daniel Patseavouras, CPTM on December 16, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

The utility sector is at a higher risk of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) when compared to construction, manufacturing and mining, according to a 2018 study by DEKRA Organizational Safety & Reliability (see www.dekra.us/en/higher-serious-injuries-and-fatalities-sif-exposure-rate-in-utilities-sector-than-other-industries/). The study found that 30% of the SIFs in the utility industry are the result of motor vehicle incidents and another 28% are attributed to line-of-fire or struck-by incidents. Those are sobering statistics, but they help frame what’s possible in the realm of prevention...

6-Step Method for Safety Harness Inspections

Written by Rick Pedley on December 16, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Your PPE can protect you if it’s in good working order and used properly, and this is especially true of fall protection gear. All gear should be inspected before use because a deficiency can be dangerous. Damaged or defective equipment should be immediately removed from service, as should equipment that’s been used in a fall. Anything that compromises the ability of the gear to protect someone from a future fall is a potential risk. Harnesses and safety lanyards cannot be repaired; any damage to them means the entire unit is too dangerous to use. During inspections, the components of a fall...

A Targeted Approach to Safety Gap Analysis

Written by Thomas Arnold, CSP, CUSP, and Michael Anderson, CSP, CUSP on December 16, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Does a gap exist between lagging indicator performance and the reliability of industry companies’ safety systems? The bad news is that our work in the industry has led us to believe the short answer to that question is yes. The good news is that our work in the industry has led us to develop an approach that makes gap analysis an effective tool to improve safety system reliability for companies within the utility construction industry. Our Approach Our approach to gap analysis began when working with a large utility company to help contractors struggling with safety performance. These...

Influencing Crew Safety

Written by Bill Martin, CUSP, NRP, RN, DIMM on December 16, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Influence sways our beliefs and our direction in life. We are swayed by the news, public opinion, social media, our family and friends, and by some things we don’t even know are influencing us. In the utility industry, this begs the question: How do we as leaders go about influencing those around us in ways that will help to make us safer? What types of influence might resonate with the workforce? Influential Actions Our approach to influencing any crew or situation matters. Let’s say there is a pressing tactical matter on a job or a change in scope that needs to be discussed. Since that issue...

Crash Analysis: A Personal Story

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 16, 2022. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

I started the analysis almost right away out of habit. Actually, “right away” means later that day. First, we had to escape the burning truck. That was easier said than done because we were all unconscious from the impact.

Advancing Workforce Skills Using Simulation-Based Training

Written by Christa Fairchild on September 29, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Like nearly all industries that require skilled workers, the electrical utility industry currently faces the challenge of having enough trained and qualified workers to meet demand and changing market conditions. According to a 2020 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (see www.usenergyjobs.org), all energy sectors reported hiring difficulties: “Lack of experience, training, or technical skills were again cited as the top reasons for hiring difficulty by employers across all five surveyed sectors. The need for technical training and certifications was also frequently cited, implying the need for...

Thermal Protection for Electrical Work

Written by Zarheer Jooma, M.S Brian Shiels, M.S. and Stacy Klausing, M.S. on September 29, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Thermal protective apparel for electrical work appears to have reached a point of inflection from “What needs to be done?” to “How can it be improved?” Looking at the safety standards recently approved for publication,

Understanding Wind Speed Limitations on Utility Equipment

Written by Jim Olson on September 29, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

The question about what’s permitted for operating aerial devices and digger derricks in high winds is one that comes up frequently with users. Utility crews often must deal with working in wind. Trouble trucks responding during storm recovery, transmission operations to place visibility balls on lines and working above rooflines in urban locations are just a few examples. Plus, some areas of the country experience high winds regularly or seasonally. While OSHA restricts use of material-handling aerial devices and digger derricks in winds greater than 30 mph, the reality is that both OSHA – in...

The 8 Habits of a Highly Effective Safety Culture

Written by Rod Courtney, CUSP on September 29, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

I began writing my new book – “The 8 Habits of a Highly Effective Safety Culture” – in 2004 while working as a civilian contractor for Kellogg Brown & Root in Iraq. I was the area HSE manager for a large portion of the Logistical Civilian Augmentation Program #3 Project. Our contract required us to hire a certain percentage of local national employees (Iraqis) to help build bases for the U.S. military and coalition forces. This was to help the local economy and to teach the Iraqi people new skills that they could use once we were gone. In theory, this was a great idea; in reality, however,...

Closing the Cracks with the FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

Written by Joshua Reilly, SMS, CIT, CUSP on August 11, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Slipping through the cracks has become much more difficult for drivers with the 2020 implementation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. The following scenario paints a picture of how easy it once was for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders who violated the FMCSA drug and alcohol testing regulations to move from job to job and continue to threaten public safety on U.S. roadways. Later in this article, we will explore requirements and responsibilities related to the clearinghouse. The Scenario In March 2019, John Doe, a CDL holder...

Beyond Behavior-Based Safety: Why Traditional Safety Practices are No Longer Enough

Written by Joseph White on August 11, 2022. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

Traditional safety management practices are built on the assumption that human behavior is rational and occurs primarily through conscious decision-making. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are, in fact, irrational by nature, creatures of habit and deeply influenced by past experiences. To create the next step change in the practice of occupational safety, we must revisit existing paradigms defining it, revise them to better align with research emerging from advancements in neuroscience, and adapt to practice realigned strategies of an affective nature. Irrational by Nature In 2016,...

Using a Learning Management System to Augment Lineworker Training

Written by Kenneth Pardue on August 11, 2022. Posted in Leadership Development.

“You can’t learn how to climb a pole by looking at a computer screen.” That’s a sentence that has been repeatedly used in our industry to discredit web-based learning. And it’s true; in any skilled trade, neither distance learning nor classroom work alone can replace the skills and confidence gained from practicing tasks and building up muscle memory in the field. But does that mean there’s no place for distance learning? Absolutely not. When properly used to augment a field skills training program, online training can speed the development of skills, make your training program more efficient...

The Case for Enhanced First-Aid Training for Lineworkers

Written by Bill Martin, CUSP, NRP, RN, DIMM on August 11, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Imagine you are working in a remote wilderness area on difficult terrain. The job involves setting poles, running wires, trimming trees, operating heavy machinery and working at elevation in track bucket trucks or hooks on a pole. The potential for serious injury is present, and extrication will be difficult if an injury occurs. This scenario begs the question, are basic first-aid and CPR training enough for a situation like this? Should enhanced first-aid training be considered for remote utility work? Could training some of our lineworkers in advanced first aid help them more effectively...

Does Positive Feedback Improve Safety?

Written by Sharon Lipinski on June 20, 2022. Posted in Leadership Development.

Our client is an international utility company with more than 10,000 employees that provides electric and natural gas to 20 million U.S. customers. Their vision is to achieve a generative safety culture in which both employees and leaders are actively engaged. Characteristics of a generative safety culture include proactively resolving issues, focusing on leading indicators, and welcoming bad news as an opportunity for improvement, not for implementing discipline. The company is well on their way to that destination, and it’s due in no small part to their employees’ dedication to their jobs,...

Mitigating Heat and Cold Stress with FR/AR Clothing

Written by Derek Sang, CSHEP, QSSP on June 20, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Within the utility industry, employers have long looked to flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments to help protect workers from injury due to flash fire and arc flash. Because these garments are designed using specially engineered, self-extinguishing fabrics and are certified to rigorous testing standards, they can help prevent or lessen the severity of injury. Utilizing FR/AR garments as part of a comprehensive personal protective equipment program is also one of the ways employers can meet OSHA’s mandate to provide workers with employment and a place of employment that are free from...

Best Practices for Bucket Truck Rescue

Written by Ty Fenton on June 20, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Bucket trucks are among the most frequently used pieces of equipment in a utility’s fleet. Because of the common use of the trucks, it becomes easy for operators to become complacent in their equipment, inspection, operation and rescue plan – often defaulting to the last job safety analysis with limited consideration for the task at hand and the work environment. In a frequent scenario, one of Colorado’s electric utility contractors was issued an urgent service ticket. The lineman assigned to the job had years of experience and assumed this task would be much like the hundreds of closed service...

Designing a Safe and Reliable Electrical Maintenance Program

Written by Martin Robinson, IEng., CMRP, CRL on June 20, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

The critical importance of power to every aspect of our world cannot be overexaggerated. It must be generated and distributed effectively to end users, and any disruption in that process means loss of operations, money and, in extreme cases, life. Therefore, the reliability of power creation and distribution must be continually safeguarded and improved. This doesn’t happen by chance or through reactionary maintenance tasks; rather, it must be focused on from the early design stages and continue through the life of the assets tasked with these functions. Adopting a “Monitor, Inspect and Manage”...

Using PPE to Bolster Safety Resilience

Written by Scott Francis on February 24, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Task-based and daily wear PPE programs help protect a company’s workers and improve resilience. Alexander Pope famously wrote that “to err is human,” yet as safety professionals, we often feel that we can prevent incidents if we eliminate all risk. It’s a concept that has permeated nearly every facet of the safety sphere: account for the risks, eliminate their presence and prevent injuries. Even still, incidents and injuries do happen, sometimes with catastrophic consequences. This has brought about a shift in the safety mindset, moving toward a more resilient outlook.

Safety Advancements in the Line-Clearance Industry

Written by John Sullivan , CUSP on February 24, 2022. Posted in Safety Management.

Progress over the last decade has made the industry a safer place for line-clearance workers. When I started working for an investor-owned utility in 1974, I was fresh out of high school and had little knowledge of safe work practices and policies. I was truly fortunate to collaborate with people at the utility who cared about my safety and made sure I developed safe work habits that I still espouse today.

ANSI A92.2: 2022 Changes and Training Requirements

Written by Phil Doud on February 24, 2022. Posted in Safety Management, Equipment Operations.

Here’s what owners and operators should know about upcoming updates to the standard. Updates are coming to the ANSI A92.2 standard, titled “American National Standard for Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial Devices.” Your most common piece of powered equipment soon will have new or revised requirements for design, manufacturing, testing, training and operation. These new requirements go into effect in August of this year. First, let’s cover some of the most notable changes, and then we’ll look at some often misunderstood training requirements.

Grounding Conductor Confusion: What’s the Best One to Use?

Written by Stephen Oaks on February 24, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Consider new testing data before making a final determination. Proper grounding is both a life-and-death matter and an operational imperative. But many questions remain about grounding. Some of the most frequently asked include: Why do some designers, utilities and contractors use one type of grounding conductor while others use a different type? If copper and aluminum carry power through transmission and distribution lines, then why not use them everywhere, including for grounding? What is the best grounding conductor? The grounding conductor selection process should include both of the...

Security in the Field: A Largely Unnoticed Need

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on December 13, 2021. Posted in Safety Management.

It’s time for worker security to receive the same attention as worker safety. Society today is no longer predisposed to viewing utility employees in a friendly manner, and aggression toward them is growing. For some time, the steady rise in aggression toward utility workers has flown under the radar. Whether employee or contractor, job site violence is a real threat. Of the multitude of issues fueling this aggression, one of the most significant is shifting public opinions of utilities themselves. For a growing segment of the population, public utilities are nuisances to be confronted, not benefactors...

Lineworkers and Line-Clearance Workers: Understanding Their Similarities and Differences

Written by Philip Moran, CTSP, CUSP on December 13, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Everyone in the utility sector should familiarize themselves with the relationship between these two work groups.

Actionable Safety: Modeling Change for Line Crews

Written by Bill Martin, CUSP, NRP, RN, DIMM on December 13, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Demonstrating simple strategies for teams to practice can begin to effect behavioral changes that improve safety. When leaders model a specific safety behavior or tactic, we can achieve multiple positive outcomes, including initiating change in our organizations. It is critical, however, that we physically model the behavior with our actions – we must walk the walk, not just talk the talk. When we truly lead by example, we can expect our team leaders to model our behavior as well. With that said, in this article, I’m going to present you with some simple, actionable safety strategies you can...

From My Bookshelf to Yours: ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’

Written by David McPeak, CUSP, CIT, CHST, CSP, CSSM on December 13, 2021. Posted in Leadership Development, Frontline Fundamentals.

Understanding, developing and applying these habits enable us to better respond to stimuli, making us more effective people. I am excited to tell you that Utility Business Media Inc. recently published “Frontline Leadership: The Hurdle,” a book that I wrote. During the research and writing process, I read a lot of books and want to share some highlights from a few of my favorites. This article will focus on “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the bestselling book authored by Stephen R. Covey. I hope that you find the article useful, and I hope it inspires you to read both Covey’s book...

Just Like the Real Thing: Training the Next Generation of Lineworkers 

Written by Curtis Marquardt on December 13, 2021. Posted in Leadership Development.

The Missouri Valley JATC offers comprehensive training at its new state-of-the-art facility. “Many people say that a lot of [lineworker] rules are written in blood, and there is literal truth to that. Safety is our value. We don’t have any competing priorities over safety. It’s not number one. It’s on a list of one.” That’s a quote from Tim Vassios, a lead instructor at the Missouri Valley Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC). Both Vassios and his organization – with the support of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association...

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Tag: Featured