Tag: Safety Management

Tricks of the Trade to Improve the Trenching Environment

Written by Jarred O'Dell, CSP, CUSP on August 22, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

This is the final installment in a four-part series on trenching and excavation. “Trenching by the Numbers” (http://incident-prevention.com/blog/trenching-by-the-numbers), the first article in the series, presented a simple method for recalling OSHA’s trenching and excavation requirements. The second article focused on soil mechanics (http://incident-prevention.com/blog/soil-mechanics-in-the-excavation-environment), taking an in-depth look at the behavior and characteristics of different soil types and their relationships with water and air. In the June 2016 issue of Incident Prevention, I...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Personal Grounding in Underground Work

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 22, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Incident Prevention has been covering personal protective grounding (PPG) for many years. Most of the emphasis has been on overhead applications for transmission and distribution. Lately, however, iP and many consultants associated with the publication have been receiving more and more inquiries from utilities seeking to understand the issues related to PPG applications in underground. Part of the issue with PPG is that, as I mentioned, most training and rules seem to coalesce around overhead applications. The majority of the written standards – both OSHA and consensus – are found in...

Voice of Experience: OSHA Requirements for Step Potential Protection

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on August 22, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

When OSHA updated 29 CFR 1910.269 and merged almost all of its requirements with 1926 Subpart V, the requirement to protect employees from step potential was enhanced. In the months following the publication of the final rule, this change was rarely mentioned in the major webinars conducted by several prominent utility industry groups, so I want to take this opportunity to cover what you need to know. First, let’s talk a bit about the basic fundamentals of Ohm’s law and Kirchoff’s law of current division in order to ensure you understand the seriousness of step potential hazards. Ohm’s law...

August 2016 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 22, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Q & A, Equipment Operations.

Q: We have heard that OSHA can cite an employer for violation of their own safety rules. How does that work? A: OSHA’s charge under the Occupational Safety and Health Act is the protection of employees in the workplace. The agency’s methodology has always assumed the employer knows – or should know – the hazards associated with the work being performed in the employer’s workplace because that work is the specialty of the employer. OSHA’s legal authority to use the employer’s own safety rules as a reason to cite the employer is found in CPL 02-00-159, the Field Operations Manual (FOM), which...

10 Tips for Better Incident Investigations

Written by Thomas Ray, CSP, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Several years ago, when I was serving as chief investigator for the NIOSH-funded Missouri Occupational Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program, I was called to a scene where a 39-year-old journeyman lineman had been electrocuted while working for an electrical contractor. At the time of the incident, the lineman, his co-worker and the foreman had been working at an electrical substation. The city that owned the substation was in the process of switching their electrical service from a three-phase 4-kV system to a 12-kV system. There were several feeders on the structure, but...

Protective Systems for Trenching and Excavations

Written by Jarred O'Dell, CSP, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

This is the third installment of a four-part series on trenching principles. “Trenching by the Numbers” (http://incident-prevention.com/blog/trenching-by-the-numbers), the first article in the series, presented a simple method for recalling OSHA’s trenching and excavation requirements. The second article focused on soil mechanics (http://incident-prevention.com/blog/soil-mechanics-in-the-excavation-environment), taking an in-depth look at the behavior and characteristics of different soil types and their relationships with water and air. In this article, we will discuss the four different...

The Job Brief’s Hidden Influence on Utility Safety

Written by Michael Burnham, CSP, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

On your way to work today, how many dashed lines in the middle of the road did you pass? What ornaments decorate your dentist’s office? How many people wearing glasses did you see last month? If you’re like most people, you don’t know the answers to these questions, and that’s a good thing. In his book “The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload,” author Daniel J. Levitin states that the processing capacity of the conscious mind is estimated to be about 120 bits per second, barely enough to listen to two people talking to you at the same time, yet in our...

Fire Restoration Best Practices for Utilities

Written by Chris Grajek, CRSP, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

When the residents of Rock Creek – a small town in British Columbia just north of the Canadian-U.S. border – awoke to smoke on August 13, 2015, they quickly realized that danger was approaching. Fed by westerly winds, the Rock Creek fire spread from the west side of town to the east side, and then to surrounding communities. In total, it took just 45 minutes for the fire to make its way through the Rock Creek community, passing over Highway 33 and the Kettle River before heading northeast. Visitors staying at Kettle River Provincial Park’s campground, located in Rock Creek, were forced to...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Recommendations for Wire Stringing

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101, Equipment Operations.

In the last installment of “Train the Trainer 101,” we discussed grounding when stringing in energized environments (see http://incident-prevention.com/blog/train-the-trainer-101-grounding-for-stringing-in-energized-environments). Many readers responded with questions regarding the myriad issues they have faced during stringing. I learned a lot about this type of work during my first 25 years in the trade. In stringing hundreds of miles of conductor, I am proud to say I never dropped wire. I also have to say it’s most likely I have that record because I learned a great deal from other...

Confined Spaces in Construction

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Last May, OSHA published its final rule regarding confined spaces in construction. Since that time, there have been many questions about the differences between the new construction standard and 29 CFR 1910.146, “Permit-required confined spaces.” In this installment of “Voice of Experience,” we will take a closer look at both standards in an effort to clear up any remaining confusion. “Confined Spaces in Construction” is the title of 1926 Subpart AA, the recently released construction standard. Before Subpart AA was published, 1910.146 was the only OSHA standard that addressed...

June 2016 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 10, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Q & A, Equipment Operations, Grounding.

Q: Is a transmission tower leg considered a lower level? And is there an exception for hitting a lower level when someone is ascending in the bucket truck to the work area? Our concern is that the shock cord and lanyard could be long enough that the person could hit the truck if they fell out of the bucket prior to it being above 15 feet. A: The February 2015 settlement agreement between EEI and OSHA addresses both of your questions, which, by the way, were contentious for several years until this agreement. The settlement agreement includes Exhibit B (see...

Don’t Leave Employees to Fill in the Blanks

Written by Dave Sowers on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

Early in my marriage, my wife asked me to pick up some groceries on my way home. This task seemed easy enough; after all, I had been feeding myself for years. How hard could it be? We needed food and the grocery store had food for sale. The path to success appeared to be pretty well laid out. All I needed was a method of payment and a shopping cart with four functioning wheels. As I negotiated my way up and down the aisles of the grocery store, I put great thought into what I added to my cart. I made sure to get the basics, including bread, milk and eggs, and I rounded out the cart with...

Soil Mechanics in the Excavation Environment

Written by Jarred O'Dell, CSP, CUSP on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

The February 2016 issue of Incident Prevention featured “Trenching by the Numbers” (see http://incident-prevention.com/blog/trenching-by-the-numbers), the first installment in this series on advanced trenching and shoring principles. In that article, I reviewed the OSHA excavations standard found at 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P. The purpose of reviewing the rules was to give readers a starting point upon which to build more advanced concepts. In this article, I will continue the series with an in-depth discussion about the principles of soil mechanics. Throughout the years I have worked in the...

Field-Level Hazard Recognition Training That Works

Written by Mike Caro, CUSP on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

As a safety professional or operations leader in your organization, one of your primary responsibilities is to ensure your employees can and do complete their work safely. People don’t want to get hurt and you don’t want them to. With that as a given, the question then becomes, how do you accomplish this? You can’t be everywhere watching everything all the time. You can’t point out every hazard on every job site for every worker. So, how do you rest easy in the belief that your employees are recognizing and mitigating hazards and working as safely as possible when you are not around? I’m...

The Future of Ergonomics

Written by Raffi Elchemmas, AEP, MBA on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Over the last decade, our industry has done a great job of reducing work-related injuries as a whole, but musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) – also known as ergonomic injuries – are on the rise. From 2008 to 2012, work-related injuries decreased steadily each year. During that same period, however, ergonomic injuries increased by approximately 15 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As we know, OSHA sets standards and precise thresholds, such as those for vibration and noise exposure, in an effort to improve work site safety and prevent injuries. But there are no...

Train the Trainer 101: Grounding for Stringing in Energized Environments

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101, Equipment Operations, Grounding.

A few years ago I came upon a crew using 6-inch chocks to hold back a 38-ton crane truck. I told the crew I was happy that they were making an effort at compliance, but I had to ask them, “Why do we place chocks under a truck’s wheels? Is it to comply with our safety rules or to keep the crane from running away?” It was obvious to me that the short chocks would not hold the crane. The driver proved my assumption true a few minutes later. From the cab, with the transmission in neutral, he released the parking brake. The crane easily bounced over the chocks and, unfortunately, hit my pickup...

Voice of Experience: OSHA Citations and Informal Conferences

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

OSHA fines will increase for the first time in 25 years under a provision in the recently signed U.S. congressional budget deal. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to keep pace with inflation. But a section of the new budget signed in November by President Barack Obama – referred to as the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 – strikes the 1990 exemption. Now, OSHA is directed to issue an interim final rule adjusting its penalties to account for current inflation levels, which would...

April 2016 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 26, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Q & A.

Q: What is an employer’s affirmative defense relative to an OSHA charge and how does it work? A: In simplified legal terms, an affirmative defense is the act of an accused party putting forth a set of alternative claims or facts. The purpose of the accused party doing this is to mitigate the claim against him, or at least the consequences of the claim, even if the facts of the claim are true. Following is an example of a fairly common scenario in which an affirmative defense is claimed by an employer. OSHA investigates an incident that resulted in an injury to an employee and finds the...

Trenching by the Numbers

Written by Jarred O'Dell, CSP, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

By and large, organizations directly provide the training and other resources needed for the development of their foremen and crew chiefs. Such training tends to be built around two components: following the standards set forth by OSHA and other regulatory agencies, and adhering to organizational policies and procedures. This is a great approach but perhaps an incomplete one. Truly impactful safety training typically includes a third component: sharing of personal experience. For instance, I once observed a training session in which the instructor drew from his experiences during a...

The CUSP Program Expands to Canada

Written by Chris Grajek, CRSP, CUSP, and John Price, B.Kin., CRSP, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

We are pleased to announce that the Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network has developed a version of the Certified Utility Safety Professional program that directly serves utility workers employed in Canada. Starting this summer, individuals will have the opportunity to enroll in the two-day utility safety leadership review course and sit for either the CUSP Blue or CUSP Green exam. The USOLN was founded in 2009 to advocate for a safe, productive utility work environment. In 2010 the organization offered the first CUSP program session in Denver. The program continues to be the only...

Understanding Your Safety DNA

Written by Neil Dempster, CSP, MBA, Ph.D. on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

Last summer my extended family planned and hosted a long-overdue family reunion. This one was particularly special because my Uncle Roy, who is now in his 80s, was there, and it was the first time in many years that I had the opportunity to see and spend time with him. Prior to his retirement, Uncle Roy was a railroad engineer in charge of and responsible for driving a freight train engine. From a safety perspective, I should explain a few details about trains before I continue. First, a typical freight train can be 120 to 140 cars or approximately one-and-one-half miles in length....

Best Practices for Arc-Rated Clothing Programs

Written by Hugh Hoagland on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Many things have changed since 1994, when the first hint of arc-rated (AR) materials hit the utilities. Back then, the best practice was to wear cotton jeans, heavy cotton shirts and heavy cotton-shell winter wear. Other personal protective equipment (PPE) like rainwear illustrated an industry problem: There were not many good flame-resistant (FR) clothing options available. At the time, the only markets for FR garments were military, aviation and refineries. Non-melting rainwear was not really on the market since most “FR” rainwear at that time was made of nylon or polyester, which means...

Auditing for Safety Improvement

Written by Kathy Ellsworth, CUSP, and Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

The mere thought of participating in an audit can be unnerving. Consider IRS audits for a moment – they can never mean good news, right? So why would an organization want to spend time, money and other resources to conduct an audit when it could be painful? The answer is that, regardless of the feelings they evoke, audits – when done right – can be a powerful organizational improvement tool rather than just a way to monitor compliance. To better understand the importance of auditing for improvement, let’s review an example of a traditional compliance audit. In this example, the audit...

Train the Trainer 101: Safety Cops and the Continuum of Safety

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Words have power. We confirm that every day when we examine why people do what they do. Communication is often the root cause of accidents, particularly how the receiver interprets what he or she hears. That communication is not always something said in the moments before an incident; it can occur days, weeks or months in advance. I have discussed this issue with behaviorists on a number of occasions, and I am convinced that some of the words I – and many others – have repeatedly heard over the years have served to limit our success in the quest for a strong, positive safety culture. The...

Voice of Experience: Hand and Skin Protection for Electric Utility Workers

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

With the recent changes to the OSHA standard, many employers are working on what rules apply – the arc flash standard or the PPE standard – and how to comply with them. Part of the issue is determining how many types of protection are needed and what types of protection are appropriate. To begin, OSHA’s requirements for all personal protective equipment can be found in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I. Rules specific to hand protection can be found in 1910.138. They read as follows: 1910.138(a)“General requirements. Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when...

February 2016 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Q & A, Grounding.

Q: I work for a small utility and am new to my safety role. Recently I have been wading through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) in an attempt to understand my responsibilities with regard to testing CDL drivers. Can you briefly explain these responsibilities? A: FMCSR 391.31 requires the employer to ensure a driver is competent by means of road testing. The FMCSR allows a valid commercial driver’s license as evidence of competency (see FMCSR 391.33). If the employer accepts the evidence of the driver’s competency, the employer does not have to road test the driver. Rule...

Stringing Best Practices: Mesh Grips vs. Preforms

Written by Chris Grajek, CRSP, CUSP on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

When you ask lineworkers what differentiates their work from general construction, it’s not surprising that they will typically say they work with big lines at high voltages. Lineworkers take pride in keeping lines up and fixing them when they come down. We know that lines do come down inadvertently, and we also know that the losses resulting from such incidents can be substantial. No amount of regulation will combat these problems, so that’s where best practices come into play. Best practices establish the most common methods to achieve operational success within the parameters of...

Understanding Safety Culture Through Perception Surveys

Written by Matt Edmonds, CUSP, CIT, CHST, and Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

If you asked workers at your company who is responsible for their safety, how do you think they would answer that question? Would they say the safety director is responsible, or would they tell you they’re personally responsible for their own safety? You might be surprised by the answers you receive. While the reality is that we are all responsible for our own safety, some employees may perceive that the safety director bears that responsibility. What if you asked them about your safety program in general? Do employees think it’s strong or weak? Again, you may receive answers that widely...

RF Safety for Utility Workers

Written by Miranda Allen on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Utility workers could be exposed to radiofrequency (RF) radiation every day and not even be aware of it. With today’s telecommunications explosion, even utility poles are housing cellular systems such as antennas and distributed antenna systems. And yet, the rapid growth rate of RF technology does not change the fact that we are still obligated to follow the laws and comply with OSHA and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements, especially when dealing with RF radiation exposure limits. Required TrainingNot surprisingly, training is the best route to both RF safety and rule...

2015 USOLN Safety Award Winners Announced

Written by Kate Wade on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

On September 28, the Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network held its annual awards ceremony at the iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo in Louisville, Ky. During the event, USOLN board members presented the John McRae Safety Leadership Award to Robert “Bo” Maryyanek, CSP, CUSP, MBA, and the Carolyn Alkire Safety Advocate Award to David McPeak, CET, CHST, CSP, CSSM, CUSP. Maryyanek currently serves as eastern regional safety manager for Asplundh Construction Corp. McPeak is director of corporate safety programs at Pike Enterprises LLC, as well as director of Stay Safe Solutions...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Underground Safety: Handling Neutrals and Rescue

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Over the years I spent as a lineman, I did my share of underground installation and maintenance work. During my years in safety, I have seen the expansion of safety processes associated with underground, especially in response to the most recent OSHA changes. Not all of the changes have been effective, and that’s why we’re now going to spend some time addressing several underground safety questions Incident Prevention frequently receives. We’ll look at the rules and practices and what works from a practical perspective. Handling URD NeutralsThis will not come as news to most of you, but for...

Voice of Experience: PPE Regulatory and Consensus Standard Requirements

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I and 1926 Subpart E cover the requirements of personal protective and lifesaving equipment. With the publication of OSHA’s final rule in April 2014, the general industry and construction standards are now essentially the same for electric utilities, and there are few if any differences in the PPE required by each standard. In addition to OSHA’s regulatory standards, there are ANSI/ASTM and other consensus standards that govern the manufacturing, type and ratings for all PPE. These consensus standards change as the industry evolves and PPE improves. All PPE should...

December 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Q & A, Equipment Operations, Grounding.

Q: I’ve been reading ASTM 855, IEEE 1048 and the National Electrical Code, and I’m a little confused by the practice of grounding through a switch. Can you help me better understand this? A: In transmission/distribution applications, there is no issue with grounding through a switch. To explain, we always have to ask whether the issue is grounding through (in the path) a switch or grounding (by way of closing) a switch. The application may sound the same, but it depends on which standard you read. Our subject matter experts think the confusion lies in the well-known NEC rules, which require...

Fundamentals of Substation Rescue Plans

Written by R. Scott Young, CUSP on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

I’ve worked in substations for most of my adult life, and I’ve picked up a few things along the way. Some were the result of good experiences, while others I learned through less than ideal circumstances. In this article, I want to share with you what I learned from my first experience with confined space rescue in a substation. It was mid-August of 1983 in Florida and the outside temperature was in the high 90s. Inside the 69/13-kV transformer, the temperature was well over 100 degrees. Two journeymen were conducting an inspection inside the transformer when they discovered a problem in...

Shifting Your Organizational Safety Culture

Written by Phillip Ragain on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

In one way or another, culture helps to shape nearly everything that happens within an organization, from shortcuts taken by shift workers to budget cuts made by managers. As important as it is, though, it can seem equally as confusing and hard to control. Culture appears to emerge as an unexpected byproduct of organizational minutiae: A brief comment made by a manager, misinterpreted by direct reports, propagated during water cooler conversations and compounded with otherwise unrelated management decisions to downsize, outsource, reassign, promote, terminate and so on. Culture can either...

Investigating Industrial Hygiene at Salt River Project

Written by Randi Korte, CUSP on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

At Salt River Project, a large utility based in metropolitan Phoenix, there are a great variety of jobs, situations, risks and exposures that must be addressed, assessed and controlled. Journeymen lineworkers labor in heat approaching 120 degrees on the desert floor, while hydrologists trudge around in near-zero-degree weather to examine snowpack on the mountainous Mogollon Rim. A pressman needs a hearing assessment to judge the impacts of a six-color press, while electronics technicians must be evaluated for radio-frequency exposure from telecommunications equipment. A warehouseman at a...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical MAD and Arc Flash Protection

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Author’s Note: Before we get to the article, I want to thank the members of Incident Prevention’s editorial advisory board for their help in assembling this installment of “Train the Trainer 101.” They help me keep my head on straight, especially when I have ideas that are way outside the box. Even though I am also on the board, they still hold me to high standards of accountability and accuracy. These folks are a great asset to iP and make better writers of everyone who contributes to the publication. Over the past year, iP subject matter experts have fielded many questions about how to...

Voice of Experience: Clearing Up Confusion About 1910.269

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

It’s now been 18 months since OSHA’s final rule regarding 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V was published. For the most part, the dust has settled and the industry has started to adjust to the requirements of the new standard. However, questions still abound regarding certain issues, and I’d like to address two of them – employee training and host-contractor information transfer – in this installment of “Voice of Experience.” Employee TrainingTo begin, many companies are still confused about the meaning of changes to 1910.269(a)(2). The pertinent portions of (a)(2) are printed below for...

October 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on September 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Q: Is equipotential grounding now a personal protective grounding method required by OSHA? A: The answer is yes, even though OSHA doesn’t specifically say so in terms we easily understand. The terminology isn’t OSHA’s fault. As an industry, we adopt certain familiar ways of describing or discussing things and simply don’t recognize what OSHA is trying to communicate unless we do some diligent research. In 29 CFR 1910.269(n)(3), OSHA requires arrangement of grounds to protect employees without using the word “equipotential.” The title of the rule, however, is “Equipotential...

N95 Filtering Face Pieces: Where Does Your Organization Stand?

Written by Jarred O'Dell, CSP, CUSP on August 23, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

When it comes to following health and safety standards, nearly every worker tries to do the right thing. And when workers deviate from standards and best practices, it is typically due to lack of knowledge and proper training. One industry topic that is not yet fully understood and continues to be heavily debated is the N95 filtering face piece, in particular its uses and program requirements. In response, this article seeks to assist those who are involved with the development and enforcement of their organization’s voluntary respiratory protection policy. To begin, there are two reasons...

Stepping Up Steel Safety Education

Written by Keith Lindemulder on August 23, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

It’s estimated that between 2 million and 4 million utility poles are replaced annually in the U.S., and in almost every region of the country, many of those replacement poles are now made of steel. In fact, more than 1 million steel distribution poles have been installed by electric utilities across the country in the last decade. That number is expected to rise considerably as utilities strive to keep up with the need for new lines, replace aging and damaged poles and harden existing lines. The increased use of steel utility poles in distribution lines has created a need for new training...

Rigging Fundamentals for Utilities

Written by Brian S. Hope, ASP, CSP, CUSA on August 23, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Over the past 20 years I have had the great opportunity to travel the country observing everyday safety practices in the utility industry. During this time it has become clear to me that, more often than not, employees are practicing inadequate rigging techniques that put them and their co-workers at risk on a daily basis. These poor practices are being perpetuated from one generation of riggers to the next. Employees who learned improperly from previous trainers go on to train new employees in the same fashion. It seems that a number of workers have bought into the dangerous idea that...

Arc Flash Mitigating Technologies and the OSHA Final Rule

Written by Samy Faried on August 23, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

On April 11, 2014, OSHA issued the final rule regarding 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V. The final rule included modifications that address minimum approach distances, fall protection systems and hazards of electric arcs. Since the publication of the rule, there have been an extensive number of articles published that detail changes to 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V. Those articles focus on explaining the changes but most lack information about arc flash mitigating technologies. This article focuses on current technologies available to minimize and prevent exposure of workers to arc...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Personal Protective Grounding

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Grounding.

In the last 10 years I have consulted on dozens of induction incidents, eight of which resulted in fatalities. There were commonalities in each one. Just about every Incident Prevention reader will agree that one of the topics that receives the most attention across the power industry – in writing, training and conversation – is personal protective grounding (PPG). Not a week goes by that I don’t email or talk to someone about PPG and, in particular, about dealing with induction. At iP we discuss and share information as well as news about incidents involving induction, and yes, they...

Voice of Experience: Power Generation Safety and the OSHA Update

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on August 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

I have never worked in a generation plant, but I have visited many plants during my years of working with utilities. My experience has been in safety and skills training for transmission and distribution systems. I have also worked with generation employees on OSHA and DOT projects, and I am now in the process of helping a company revise their OSHA 1910.269 training program, including the portion that addresses 1910.269(v), “Power generation.” I have to say, I was surprised by the absence of changes to 1910.269(v) in the 2014 OSHA update. The revised section reads almost word for word the...

August 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Q: I’m wondering about an issue with a third-party safety analysis required by one of our clients. We are required to satisfy their safety requirements, including creating programs and safety manual changes worded to meet their criteria. I have issues with the required changes because they don’t fit into our safety program. A: You are not alone in your concerns. OSHA issued a warning about this exact topic, and it was a reason for changing the language in the proposed rules from June 2005. In the proposed rule, 29 CFR 1926.950(c) required contractors to follow a utility’s work...

Understanding OSHA Electric Power Training Requirements

Written by Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP on June 21, 2015. Posted in Safety Management.

Are your employees performing work on or near electric power generation, transmission or distribution facilities? If so, whether they are performing electrical or nonelectrical work, electrical training is required. The training provided must ensure employees can identify electrical hazards and employ safe work methods to remove or control the hazards for their safety. Covered Work To simplify the application of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V, many companies use the term “covered work,” which includes work areas with electrical system hazards. For example, the construction of a...

Making the Switch

Written by Raffi Elchemmas, AEP, MBA on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

It is an undisputed and well-known fact that workers’ use of manual tools increases repetitive movement, introduces awkward working postures and elevates the risk of ergonomic injuries and illnesses. Throughout the past decade, the utility industry has done a great job of recognizing these ergonomic safety issues, and a number of utility tool manufacturers have responded by developing new battery-operated tools and tool features that address them. Slowly but surely, ergonomic safety is increasing in the workplace as investor-owned utilities, contractors, cooperatives and municipalities...

How to Navigate the FR Clothing Marketplace

Written by Derek Sang, CSHEP, QSSP on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

When the original version of the OSHA 1910.269 standard was published, flame-resistant (FR) clothing wasn’t even mentioned. The dangers associated with electric arcs were known, but the standard only required that an employer not allow an employee to wear clothing that, when exposed to flames or electric arcs, could increase the extent of injury sustained by the employee. This was covered under 1910.269(l)(6)(iii). The rule eliminated the use of garments constructed with synthetics such as polyester, nylon, rayon and acetate, which could melt and drip, and led to the adoption of clothing...

Arrive Alive

Written by Laura McMillan on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

On a clear, sunny day following a fierce thunderstorm the night before, Mark drove off to work. The schedule for the day was busy with repairing downed lines in several heavily trafficked neighborhoods followed by some scheduled maintenance at a router station. Mark met up with his crew, reviewed the schedule and then the team headed out for what they expected to be a long day. The crew was experienced, though, so Mark felt confident they would be able to complete their list of tasks. In the driver’s seat of the crew cab on the way to repairing the downed lines, Mark thought about the task...

Train the Trainer 101: Back to Basics: ‘Gentlemen, This is a Football’

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

I recently spent several weeks studying an incident, trying to understand how it had happened and – more importantly – how it could have been prevented. Maybe the answer was associated with human performance, or maybe culture, or it could have been procedures, or … well, maybe it could have been associated with any number of things. In other words, even with all of my experience and training, I had a hard time finding the singular root cause. This dilemma made me recall a question I missed on an engineer-in-training exam I took in the 1970s. The question had ladder diagrams and loop...

Voice of Experience: Fundamentals of Underground Padmount Transformers

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Voice of Experience, Equipment Operations, Grounding.

In recent months Incident Prevention has received several questions about underground (UD) padmount transformers, so in this installment of “Voice of Experience,” I’d like to take the time to cover the general aspects of these types of transformers. To begin, there are a few different types of single-phase and three-phase UD padmounts: live front with exposed live primary parts, 600-amp bolt-on elbows and loop feed with bushings and elbows. All of these transformers are available in several voltage ranges. The proper PPE must be worn when an employee is opening, entering and working on...

June 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Q: Are there any changes to steel-toe boot requirements for lineworkers in the recently revised OSHA 1910.269 standard? A: OSHA still leaves it to employers to decide whether hard-toe or protective footwear is required. As with all other PPE, the decision should be made based on risks and history. Wearing safety footwear is not required by the PPE rule. However, what is required in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.136, “Foot protection,” is a mandatory assessment of the work environment. The rule states that the employer “shall ensure that each affected employee uses protective footwear when working in...

OSHA and the Host-Contractor Relationship

Written by Ted Granger, CSSBB, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

The revisions to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269(a)(3) and 1926.950(c) regarding information transfer have brought many changes to the relationship between host and contract employers in the utility industry. As OSHA noted in the preamble to the revised standard, the existing Multi-Employer Citation Policy is insufficient to ensure workplace safety, and hence the agency has implemented a host-contract employer information transfer standard. The following article will shine light on what information must be communicated by which employer as well as how it should be communicated. Employer...

The Roller-Coaster Life Cycle of IEEE 1307

Written by Ed Hunt, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

IEEE 1307 is a little-known work group that is part of a larger IEEE subcommittee known as ESMOL, which stands for Engineering in the Safety, Maintenance and Operation of Lines. Both IEEE 1307 and ESMOL fall under the umbrella of the IEEE Transmission and Distribution Committee. IEEE 1307 is also the title of a utility fall protection consensus standard that has existed since the early 1990s. In light of the recent OSHA changes to fall protection, it seems appropriate to spread the knowledge about this industry standard. In the BeginningIn the early 1990s it became apparent that falls were...

Facing Unique Challenges

Written by Kekai Batungbacal, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

Established in 1891 by a royal charter from King David Kalakaua, today Hawaiian Electric provides electric service to 95 percent of the state of Hawai‘i. The company has approximately 1.4 million customers on five islands, with Hawaiian Electric providing service to O‘ahu; subsidiary Maui Electric providing service to Maui, Moloka‘i and Lana‘i; and subsidiary Hawai‘i Electric Light providing service to Hawai‘i Island. The state of Hawai‘i is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 miles away from the coast of the continental United States. This isolated geographic...

Train the Trainer 101: The OSHA-EEI Subpart V Settlement

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

In February of this year, Edison Electric Institute (EEI) circulated an agreement with OSHA. This agreement – which can be viewed at www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/SubpartV-final-settlement.html – ended the petition for review filed over several new provisions of the April 11, 2014 final rule affecting the general and construction industry rules for transmission, distribution and line clearance work. The agreement as delivered consisted of the final agreement and four exhibits that specified the agreed-upon terms. Exhibit A is a series of 46 questions and answers reflecting more detailed...

Voice of Experience: OSHA Updates to Arc-Rated FR Clothing Requirements

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

Over the last few months I have delivered several presentations and webinars on the recent revisions to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269. During these sessions, attendees asked for clarification on a variety of topics, particularly arc-rated flame-resistant (FR) clothing. This month’s “Voice of Experience” is devoted to helping readers understand more about the impact of OSHA’s changes on this subject. At the time I am writing this, some of OSHA’s enforcement dates have recently changed due to a number of issues, questions and clarifications that the agency is working to address. The updated...

April 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 20, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Q: We are a 100-year-old municipality and we have discovered some wood tools and a baker board in a long-overlooked storage area. The tools are rotted and termite-damaged, but the situation raised a question: Is it permitted to use wood hot sticks? A: We did some checking with manufacturers and most agree that wood tools were first replaced by fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) in the 1950s when utilities started transmission voltages over 240 kV. The first published FRP manufacturing standard was for fiberglass tools in the 1960s. We don’t currently know of any consensus standards...

The Importance of Matching Evidence Marks in Accident Investigations

Written by Allen L. Clapp, P.E. on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

I have personally investigated more than 800 incidents involving serious permanent injury, death, equipment failure and structural failure. Time after time, we were pulled in late to assist with investigations in which early investigators had failed to properly investigate the incidents. They had jumped to erroneous conclusions, thus resulting in incorrect admissions, strategies or other actions in the related litigations. When properly analyzed, each incident was shown to have occurred differently than originally assumed, and often a different party or action was the precipitative cause....

Measuring, Planning and Cutting Methods for Chainsaw Operators

Written by Ken Palmer on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

The first two articles in this series discussed the risks of chainsaw operation as well as chainsaw safety, planning and precision felling techniques. In this final article, I will discuss several other topics that chainsaw operators should be knowledgeable about, including how to estimate tree height, make an open face notch and use felling wedges. Estimating Tree HeightAn important part of felling trees is the ability to estimate a tree’s height in order to determine its position as it falls, hits the ground and comes to rest. Accurate height estimation allows the operator to determine...

Growing a Human Performance Culture

Written by David W. Bowman on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

Human performance methods help us to understand some key aspects of business: accountability, conservative decision-making, and overall commitment to goals and values. These fundamental principles comprise a larger objective known as organizational alignment. The concept of organizational alignment derives from years of studying, using and teaching human performance techniques, and even from an old TV rerun, which I’ll soon discuss. The constant challenge is demonstrating to employees how to relate to management and vice versa. I have continued to search for the reason why there are...

Recent PPE Changes and 2015 Trends

Written by Hugh Hoagland and Stacy Klausing, M.S. on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

2014 was a year of changes in electrical safety. The new OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 standard has moved arc-rated (AR) clothing and PPE to the forefront, unlike the 1994 changes. Additionally, for facilities covered by NFPA 70E, the new 70E standard has added a level of complexity to PPE. This article will review changes in PPE as well as trends to expect this year. NFPA 70E ChangesIn the 2015 edition of NFPA 70E, the term “Hazard Risk Category” (HRC) has been replaced by “PPE level” or “arc rated PPE category” (ARC). As a result, manufacturers may start using “ARC” instead of “HRC” on labels to...

Train the Trainer 101: Addressing Anchorages

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

With the new OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 rules have come many questions, and one that Incident Prevention often receives is how to define an appropriate anchorage. There will be forthcoming interpretations as employers ask questions of OSHA, but the April 4, 2014 preamble, or “Summary and Explanation of the Final Rule,” does provide a good basis for interpreting the rules. You can read the preamble at www.osha.gov/dsg/power_generation/. Concerning anchorages, most everyone can quote the two most familiar longstanding requirements: a minimum tensile load of 3,000 pounds for lifelines or lanyards...

Voice of Experience: The Importance of Job Briefings

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

As I write this article, I am reflecting on 2014 and thinking about how many contacts and fatalities the electric utility industry suffered last year. There were fewer than in 2013, but the improvement was only slight. At present, the most accurate count for 2014 is approximately 40 fatalities and 45-50 electrical contacts. One serious injury or fatality is too many, and all of them can be avoided by planning and the proper use of training, tools, time and teamwork. As I read reports of 2014’s fatalities and serious injuries, I wondered how thoroughly job briefings were performed before...

February 2015 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Q: The issue of multiple snaphooks in a single D-ring and Incident Prevention’s stance on it have received a lot of attention, and we are pleased to address this topic once more in the Q&A section. A: iP received two notable responses to our guidance regarding manufacturer approvals and OSHA’s requirement that prohibits the use of two snaphooks in a single D-ring unless (1) the snaphook is a locking type and (2) the snaphook is specifically designed for certain connections. As readers may recall from the December 2014 Q&A (see...

2014 USOLN Safety Award Winners Announced

Written by Kate Wade on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

During the iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo held this November in Costa Mesa, Calif., representatives from the Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network presented the 2014 Carolyn Alkire Safety Advocate Award to John Morton, CUSP, of Willbros Utility T&D, and the 2014 John McRae Safety Leadership Award to John Price, CUSP, of ENMAX Power Corp. The Carolyn Alkire Safety Advocate Award honors Carolyn Alkire, a 40-year employee of San Diego Gas & Electric and a partner in safety to the U.S. electric utility industry. Alkire passed away on July 11, 2008. She was active in a...

Arc Flash and the Benefits of Wearing PPE

Written by Michael J. Getman, CUSP, MBA on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Part of the recent OSHA updates includes increasing protection for employees who may be exposed to arc hazards. I am aware that there are many utilities that have proactively completed an arc hazard analysis for their systems, and that their employees are already wearing arc-rated clothing. Some of these utilities provide a full wardrobe of arc-rated clothing, including shirts and pants. Some utilities currently only provide tops. Still others have not completed their arc hazard analyses and do not provide their employees with any arc-rated clothing. Clark Public Utilities is one of the...

Closing the Safety Gap

Written by Thomas Arnold, CSP, CUSP on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

The safety gap is that dimly lit space between what is and what should be, between the expectations set forth by your safety program and the actual work practices that take place on your work sites. Within that gap lurks all that we hope to avoid. As safety managers, one of our primary objectives is to close the safety gap by identifying and eliminating risk in our work environments. To do so, however, requires clarity. Without a thorough understanding of our risks, both historical and present, we are left with a static, generalized program that is not responsive to the dynamics of our...

Chainsaw Safety, Planning and Precision Felling Techniques

Written by Ken Palmer on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Chainsaw operators have to be able to think on their feet and adjust to their surroundings. Accidents and injuries can be dramatically reduced, and productivity increased, when workers have the knowledge, training and skills they need to properly operate a chainsaw. In the following article – the second part of a three-part series – I will discuss a variety of components related to safely operating a chainsaw, including what operators need to know about PPE, body positioning and reaction forces. I will also detail a five-step felling plan used by chainsaw operators around the world that...

Train the Trainer 101: Substation Entry Policies

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Every utility and every contractor that works for a utility should have a substation entry training program. These programs are primarily written for non-electrically qualified workers, but there are many line personnel who do not have substation training or who do not understand the risks inherent in a substation. Hazard awareness training for substation entry is necessary for anyone who enters electrical substations to perform work tasks. Following are some recommendations for the type of content that might be appropriate for an entry awareness program. This material may not be...

Voice of Experience: How Does the Employer Ensure and Demonstrate?

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Voice of Experience.

As all of you now know, the updates to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V have been out for several months, and the October 31 enforcement date extension has come and gone. There were some anticipated changes to the standard that the industry was expecting, but the more subtle revisions I’ve seen may be the ones that are more difficult to implement. The industry was given extra time to understand and clarify some of the changes, and extensions in a few areas may be granted once again. One requirement that will likely not be granted an extension is that the employer now has to ensure...

December 2014 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Q: In regard to work boots and arc flash protection, what does OSHA mean by “heavy-duty work shoes or boots” in 29 CFR 1910.269(l)(8)(v)(B)? Are boots made of synthetic material acceptable if they are work boots? A: As with all OSHA rules, it is up to the employer to understand the risks and the necessary protections. In many cases the consensus standards give guidance that can be used to satisfy the OSHA standard. Even though NFPA 70E exempts utilities, OSHA has clearly used the NFPA as a source of material to assist utility employers in protecting employees, and the clothing standards in...

Photovoltaic Solar Safety Management for Utilities

Written by Jeff Court, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Most people who have worked in the electric utility industry are familiar with the safety concerns and applicable safety regulations associated with conventional nuclear and fossil electric power generation. Over the past several years, however, there has been an increase in the number of new generating facilities constructed across the U.S. that incorporate renewable technologies such as solar, wind and biomass. This article will provide a basic overview of one of these technologies – utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar – along with discussion of related safety considerations. PV...

Behavior-Based Safety: What’s the Verdict?

Written by Mike Caro, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

From its infancy in the late 1970s and early 1980s until now, behavior-based safety (BBS) has been a source of conflict in the safety profession, among company and union leadership, and even between practitioners. Nonetheless, after 30-plus years of use at companies that run the gamut of industries in dozens of countries around the world, it seems safe to assume that the theory and practice of BBS are here to stay. And since that is the case, this reality begs several questions. What is it about the BBS system that companies, safety professionals and practitioners find appealing? What are...

The Risks and Rules of Chainsaw Operation

Written by Ken Palmer on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Welcome to the first in a three-part series about arborist safety. In the second and third parts of the series, we will take a look at tree-felling and cutting methods as well as storm response techniques for utility workers. This first article, however, will give readers a broad overview of chainsaw safety, including powerful statistics, reasons why chainsaw operators struggle to follow safe work practices, and the essential education and training for workers who engage in chainsaw-related activities. Chainsaw Injury StatisticsThere is a wealth of impactful information available about...

Train the Trainer 101: Stringing in Energized Environments

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Stringing wire in any environment can quickly go wrong. Dropped conductors can wreak havoc if precautions are not taken. In an energized environment, the result of losing control or dropping conductors has a greatly magnified risk. Guard structures are the first type of protection conventionally used to prevent contact with energized lines. Ideally, guard structures are positioned so that whether it’s the unexpected loss of stringing tension or something as major as a dropped conductor, the conductor being pulled will not make contact with the energized lines. There are other...

Voice of Experience: Flame-Resistant Apparel is Now PPE

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

It’s official: Flame-resistant clothing is now considered PPE, and employers are required to furnish it to employees when there is a chance that they may be exposed to electric arcs or flames. This change has been a long time coming as the industry has been in limbo for years. A number of forward-thinking companies have been furnishing arc-rated FR clothing to their employees for some time, while others have waited for regulations to require them to do so. The company from which I retired as well as other large investor-owned utilities have uniform policies that incorporated arc-rated FR...

October 2014 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Q: I can’t seem to clarify what U.S. Department of Transportation hours-of-service rules apply to utility workers. Are we exempt from the rules? A: The university studies and experience of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that prompted the hours-of-service rules do have some value to us as an industry with drivers. The data used to form the rules shows that fatigue affects performance. This is a model that can help us to establish safe practices with our drivers. However, there is good reasoning for exemptions when the work we do ensures electrical service for users...

Mitigating the Risks of Aerial Patrols

Written by Nathan Boutwell, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Equipment Operations.

A safe and reliable operation is built on a foundation of strong, continually evolving programs that adapt to changing regulations. Federal requirements now mandate that electric transmission utilities perform annual vegetation inspections on all of their rights-of-way. To complete these inspections, many utilities rely on helicopters, which pose high risks due to low-altitude flying and close proximity to lines where the danger of a strike is always present. In the U.S., helicopter wire-strike accidents account for 5 percent of civilian helicopter accidents (see...

Elements of an Effective Safety Committee

Written by Richard J. Horan Jr., CSP, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

There are a number of components necessary to create and maintain a strong, effective safety committee. Key among them are employee involvement and evolution – that constant search for ways to improve both how the committee functions as a group and the results committee members produce. Other ingredients for success include ownership at all levels of the organization, a clearly defined committee charter, sponsorship, effective committee facilitation, and companywide communication about committee activities and progress. Evolve and InvolveForming a safety committee is a great way to instill...

SRP Rope Access Program Addresses Towers of Power

Written by Randi Korte, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

You’re working 120 feet above the desert floor on a high-voltage transmission line. A crewmate slips out of part of his rigging and hits hard against the skeletal metal superstructure of the lattice tower. The work site is miles away from town and emergency first responders. Your crewmate dangles perilously, dazed and perhaps critically injured. What do you do? If you work at Salt River Project – a major public power, water and telecommunications utility that serves central Arizona – you and your other crewmates shift into rescue mode according to the utility’s transmission tower rope...

Responding to Pole Fires

Written by Jim Boyd, CUSP, and Craig Lohrey on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

From time to time, most utilities with high-voltage systems have to deal with the problem of pole fires. While causes vary, fires always affect system reliability by damaging facilities and resulting in outages. Worse, it is hard to define the risk to workers dealing with a pole fire, especially when the fire’s cause is not easily determined. The most common cause of pole fires on Tacoma Power’s electrical system is high-voltage current tracking across insulators and finding a path to ground. This tracking can build heat and result in a fire within the wood pole. In addition to the...

Train the Trainer 101: Fall Protection and the New Rule

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

With the publication of OSHA’s new final rule regarding 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V, the fall protection rules have changed – somewhat. Both the general and construction industries have had fall protection rules in place since the advent of workplace safety rules, including the duty to have fall protection found in 1926.501. However, provisions specific to the industry have enabled utilities and their contractors to operate under fall protection exemptions for poles and similar structures. That is no longer the case. Before we go any further, there is a basic premise every safety...

Voice of Experience: OSHA Eye and Face Protection Standards

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

In this installment of “Voice of Experience,” we will take a look at the wording in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133, “Eye and face protection.” A review of this standard is a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of what OSHA requires of both the employer and employee in order to properly protect these vital body parts in the workplace. The standard begins with general requirements. Rule 1910.133(a)(1) states, “The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid...

August 2014 Q&A

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 8, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Q: Can a boom truck be used as a manhole rescue device? I’ve heard that OSHA rules prohibit boom truck use because the truck has too much force, resulting in greater harm to the employee in need of rescue. A: There may be issues with a boom truck as a rescue device, but its use is not prohibited in the situation you mention. Based on the criteria for rescue, however, it’s possible that the use of a boom truck may not be your best option. Incident Prevention does not advocate this method nor any other particular method of rescue from a manhole, but we do make every attempt to give you the...

The Final Rule

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 20, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

We have been expecting it since 2005. It’s here, and it’s big. The OSHA final rule regarding 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V was announced April 1, popularly known as April Fools’ Day. The significance couldn’t have been missed by those at the U.S. Department of Labor. Who says they have no sense of humor? The unofficial PDF version published April 1 has 1,607 pages. The official version – published April 11 in the conventional three-column Federal Register format – has a mere 429 pages. The final rule becomes effective July 10. The first 313 pages of the final rule...

NFPA 70E Arc Flash Protection for Nonexempt Industry Workers

Written by Jim Phillips, P.E. on June 20, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

Editor’s Note: As defined in the scope of NFPA 70E, electric utilities, with the exception of certain commercial electrical installations, are exempt from the standard. If, as a safety professional, you have installations covered under OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S, “Electrical,” you are subject to NFPA 70E. In the recently published 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V final rule, OSHA prominently mentions NFPA 70E as a beneficial informational resource for employers regarding arc flash programs. NFPA 70E is referred to numerous times throughout the final rule’s preamble, demonstrating that even as...

Injury Prevention Through Leadership, Employee Engagement and Analytics

Written by Mike Engelman on June 20, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

Safety is a core value and central to everything we do at Duke Energy. It is an ingrained part of how we operate the company, and we put safety first in our workplaces and communities. Our goal is for everyone we work with to return home safely each day. We continue to drive a culture of safety through an excellence model comprised of three key elements: safety leadership, employee and contractor engagement, and robust safety processes. Everything we do – from activities and programs to safety improvement initiatives – falls under one or more of the elements that comprise the safety...

Voice of Experience: Understanding Enclosed and Confined Spaces

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on June 20, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Voice of Experience.

What is the difference between an enclosed space and a confined space? Many companies do not acknowledge 29 CFR 1910.269(e), “Enclosed spaces.” Instead, they handle all spaces as confined under 1910.146, “Permit-required confined spaces,” and a few companies even handle them all as permit-required spaces. There may be some confusion and there certainly is much industry discussion about the spaces in which employees are asked to work. In this article, I will highlight several of the major differences between the spaces, as well as provide an overview of each of the OSHA standards. Where OSHA...

Accident Analysis Using the Multi-Employer Citation Policy

Written by Allen L. Clapp, P.E. on May 14, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

OSHA regulations are promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended. In accordance with the regulations, employers are obligated to provide both safe work and safe workplaces. They must adhere to requirements for training, supervision, discipline, retraining, personnel protection, job planning and job control. Section 5 of the OSH Act – also known as the General Duty Clause – requires both employers and employees to do their part to adhere to OSHA regulations. Although present statutes do not allow OSHA to fine employees who violate regulations, employees are...

Sustaining Safety Successes

Written by Ted Granger, CSSBB, CUSP on May 14, 2014. Posted in Safety Management.

In recent years, the concept of sustainability has played an increasingly significant role in corporations. Traditionally, corporate sustainability is often discussed in some form of annual report and is based on addressing ecological, economic and social areas. These three areas need to be reviewed with efficiency and the effective use of resources in mind. Safety clearly fits into the social area as a human resource issue. As a result, safety should be considered as much of an imperative or a value as any other strategic initiative. There are a large number of analytical tools, work...

Understanding and Influencing the ‘Bulletproof’ Employee

Written by Phillip Ragain on May 14, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development, Worksite Safety.

Some employees are regrettably willing to take risks, as though they believe that they cannot be injured. This is the challenge of the “bulletproof” employee. To influence these kinds of employees, we first need to understand why they take the risks that they do, and our approach to understanding these employees, as it turns out, is where the challenge starts. By breaking a handful of old habits and adopting a more useful model for understanding others’ decisions and actions, we can become better equipped to tackle this challenge head-on and positively influence these employees....

Voice of Experience: OSHA 300 Record-Keeping Rules

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on May 13, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Voice of Experience.

Every supervisor and manager should know who keeps the OSHA 300 log and what is required to document an entry. Every employee should receive awareness training about how entries are documented and what is looked for during an audit. The mystery behind the OSHA 29 CFR 1904 record-keeping standard is a result of its complexity and the confusing ways it is sometimes interpreted. I have been teaching record keepers for more than 25 years, dating back as far as the OSHA 200 days. I find it one of the most entertaining topics to learn about and teach, but it can also be challenging to fully...

Train the Trainer 101: Safety Incentive Programs

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on May 13, 2014. Posted in Safety Management.

Safety incentive programs are popular and get a lot of attention. This edition of “Train the Trainer 101” is designed to spark your imagination by reviewing some of the issues and answers that can help an administrator decide how best to award or recognize safety performance. As a contractor, I complete contractor qualifying documents that frequently ask, “Do you have a safety incentive program?” There is a box for “Yes” and a box for “No.” There is no follow-up question regarding value, who’s covered, metrics or performance. On the occasions that I have asked why the question is part of a...

Salt River Project: Devoted to Safety Excellence

Written by Barry Kropp, CUSP on May 12, 2014. Posted in Safety Management.

It makes sense that an organization that helped turn an untamed portion of the American West into one of the nation’s great metropolitan areas would have a handle on how to keep people safe. Salt River Project is a major water, power and telecommunications utility located in metropolitan Phoenix. SRP was created in 1903 through provisions of the National Reclamation Act to realize a dream of economic and civic growth in a rugged desert. Today, SRP is one of the nation’s leading public power utilities and central Arizona’s largest raw water supplier. The utility also leverages its power...

Addressing Comfort and Contamination in Arc-Rated Clothing

Written by Hugh Hoagland and Mikhail Golovkov on February 18, 2014. Posted in Safety Management.

With the revised OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 standard slated to soon be released, the last utility companies holding out on moving to arc-rated clothing will soon be compelled to do so as a matter of law. The new standard is likely to have the same language as the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) and will require arc flash calculations for both primary and secondary voltages. NESC 2007 excluded secondary voltages, but the 2012 edition includes a requirement to perform arc flash calculations and does not discriminate against primary or secondary voltages. To follow calculations per the...

Electrical Safety for Utility Generation Operations Personnel: A Practical Approach

Written by Randy Fabry and Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP on February 18, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Developing safe electrical work practices for generation personnel is an evolutionary process that can become extremely complex. South Carolina Electric & Gas Fossil/Hydro (SCE&G F/H), which includes nine large generation facilities and several other small peaking gas turbines and hydro units, quickly learned that even the choice of consensus standards – either the National Electrical Safety Code or NFPA 70E – can be a matter of debate when determining electric generation safe work practices. Although SCE&G F/H had an existing electrical safety program, updates in 2012...

Fact-Finding Techniques for Incident Investigations

Written by Ron Joseph, CUSP on February 18, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

If you’ve been a safety professional or an operational manager for any significant amount of time, you’ve probably had your share of safety-related incidents. The most significant incidents are usually measured by their consequences. These may result in death, serious injuries, lost or restricted workday cases, OSHA recordable cases, first aid treatment, and/or equipment or property damage. Other incidents are commonly referred to as near misses, where serious consequences like the ones previously listed could potentially have occurred, but, through luck or circumstance, did...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Elements for Developing a Safety Culture

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 18, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Leadership Development.

If you have been a safety person for any time at all, you have heard someone say, “I can’t believe they did that!” It is usually in the context of an incident investigation. As the interviews are completed and the evidence is analyzed, it comes to light that the crew did something completely out of character, or maybe even violated a well-known rule or procedure. Sometimes we find out that the crew involved had just completed training or attended a safety meeting regarding the very risk that caused the incident. But you know these people. They are highly skilled journeymen...

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Tag: Safety Management