Tag: Train the Trainer 101

The End of the Pin-On Man Basket

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 18, 2023. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

I have been warning my clients to prepare for an expensive high-reach, non-insulating platform compliance issue, and that time is very near, if not already here. The issue is the use of pin-on man baskets for cranes. For quite a few years, it has been illegal to use a crane to hoist personnel with a few exceptions. The most recent OSHA prohibition is found at 29 CFR 1926.1431(a), which begins by stating, “The use of equipment to hoist employees is prohibited …” As I mentioned, there are exceptions. Specifically, 1926.1431(a) goes on to state, “… except where the employer demonstrates that...

Training Users of Aerial Lifts

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on May 19, 2023. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

Last year, Incident Prevention published an article by Altec’s Phil Doud regarding changes to the ANSI A92.2 standard regarding vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating aerial devices (see https://incident-prevention.com/blog/ansi-a92-2-2022-changes-and-training-requirements/). It is a good and timely article. In it, Mr. Doud points out that many of the training requirements in the revised 2021 edition of the standard were already expected, but the standard now captures in detail the type and content of training for aerial lift operators and supervisors of those operators. It is time for such...

ATVs and UTVs: Minimizing the Hazards

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 17, 2023. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

Throughout all of industry, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) are involved in the majority of off-highway vehicle (OHV) incidents that result in injury. It’s not much different in the utility industry. While there is no official mechanism for counting or comparing vehicle class versus incidents, surveys and experience seem to indicate that of the vehicle classes used in our industry, ATVs and UTVs used in construction account for a high incident and injury rate. I have run safety at three large utility-related entities, and this awareness of the high incidence of...

Opening a Can of Worms

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 18, 2023. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

When you say you are opening a can of worms, you are warning people that you are about to discuss something that could be very controversial or lead to more problems. And that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

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.

The Skinny on Confined Spaces

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 11, 2022. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

There are rules in our industry. We, as utility or utility contractor employers, must follow the rules for two reasons. The first reason is that, if we don’t follow the rules, we get into trouble with the regulatory authorities. The second and more important reason is that the rules are in place to protect employees from injury or death. So it is with confined spaces. Confined spaces can and have killed workers. Confined space is a confusing issue among many of our colleagues and one I get questions about all the time. In fact, a recent inquiry about confined spaces in wind generation...

Traffic Cones and Flashing Lights

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 20, 2022. Posted in Train the Trainer 101.

Question: How many traffic cones does it take to stop a speeding car? Yes, the barriers we use are flimsy, and a traffic cone will not stop an errant vehicle from driving into a work zone. But there are some tweaks we can make to the equipment we use that will improve the level of protection workers on the street can get out of the resources available. Yet even with all our preparations, there is always a worst-case event dramatized by a recent news photo of an errant car, upside down on a bucket truck that was on a right-of-way well off the highway. It is the reason that OSHA and other...

A Close Look at Step and Touch Potentials

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 15, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

The topic of step and touch potentials is controversial, which is precisely why we need to discuss it. In my role as a work methods auditor and consultant, I see more variations in how employers address step potential than in any other aspect of equipotential bonding. I know the reasons for this and will address them here. But first, I need to clearly state the following: The theoretical argument for hazardous step potential in electric utility work environments clearly exists. Every employer must assess the hazards of step potential in their work environments and adopt a plan to protect...

Safety Signs and Sign Policy

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 23, 2022. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

You might be surprised how a little thing like a safety sign can turn out to be one of your company’s biggest financial losses of the year. Over the last decade, I’m aware of three clients who lost big because a sign they put up was the wrong color, the print was imprecise, or the employer didn’t have a sign policy or effective safety sign training. Let’s start with having a sign policy. When helping to develop any policy, I always tell clients that the policy you write is only as good as the training you provide when you roll it out. For instance, if I were to research signs in preparation...

Containing Contagions in Close Quarters

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 13, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Pandemic preparation is nothing new. In fact, I have been telling employers since the 1980s that a pandemic plan is one of the business/safety mechanisms they should have in place. It’s just good practice to address and interrupt a contagion that could potentially immobilize the employer’s workforce. The United States has been researching pandemic responses since a swine flu outbreak in 1976, but few if any publications back then addressed workforce contagions. The earliest literature on organized pandemic responses appeared around 1976 when the U.S. government established formal research...

Eating the Elephant

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 4, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

There is an adage applied to seemingly insurmountable jobs: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Of course, being quite literal, my first thought after hearing the adage for the first time was, “Won’t it spoil before you finish?” And that’s the problem with safety management. There’s too much to do and too few people to do it. One way you are assured to fail is to try to do everything at once. Even a plethora of half-measures do not create sustainable change. Change comes from using a methodical approach to solving problems. If you are one of those overworked safety...

Who is Your Customer?

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 11, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

But first, this public service announcement. Summer is here, and if your organization doesn’t already have a policy on energy drinks, you should do the research and develop one. I had long been skeptical of energy drinks because I know that anything that artificially enhances body function always comes with consequences, especially if it’s overused. It’s no different than any prescription drug that supplants the body’s failed functions. There are always side effects. With heat stress or any other kind of stress, the body gets tired, which is how it tells you that it’s exhausted and needs...

Writing an ATV/UTV Operating Safety Policy

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on May 21, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

This installment of “Train the Trainer 101” is a little bit different than usual in that we are going to write an operating safety policy. There are two goals here: to help you learn to develop policies that make a difference, and to prevent wrecked all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) on your job sites. Over the last few decades, ATVs and UTVs have taken on a significant role in remote site access and large yard transportation. What have also occurred over the last few decades are serious and occasionally fatal injuries from the operation of ATVs and UTVs. In my own...

A Practical Guide to Using Outrigger Pads

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 15, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

I’ve met a lot of people over the years while working in the utility industry. One of those people is in management with a respected manufacturer of aerial devices. Back when OSHA published 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, “Cranes and Derricks in Construction,” he and I and a few others were discussing how a utility operation could best comply with some of the standard’s requirements. The OSHA rules were formed with the perspective of typical construction sites in mind. In particular, we discussed the rule’s expectation that the site’s general manager will tell the crane operator about underground...

Understanding Radio Frequency Energy Exposure

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 12, 2021. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Are you concerned about cellular antennas? Decades of research on cellphones and cancer have not found a link between the two, but that hasn’t stopped some communities from creating laws and public service campaigns regarding protection of the public from cellular system threats. What these actions have done is created a sense that the risk exists, leading to much concern and confusion for the public. There are risks, and they are not to be ignored, but many of them are misunderstood. As communications technology continues to develop, its next iteration – 5G – is already here. The idea of...

Trailers, Brakes and Common Usage Errors

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 11, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

I perform audits of both utilities and contractors. When I work with them to do those audits, we include trucks and trailers. The trailers I’m talking about here are not the box vans behind tractors, but the general-duty trailers used to haul trenchers, backhoes, wire reels and padmount transformers. It’s no surprise that the trailer issues we discover are in keeping with the types and frequencies of violations that enforcement officials find on the roadways: those involving lights, load securement and brakes. Auditors also get a lot of questions about trailer safety, or more...

A Practical Review of the ANSI A92.2 Standard

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 7, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

This is a review of ANSI/SAIA A92.2-2015, “American National Standard for Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial Devices.” As a consultant, investigator and auditor, I have been surprised time and again that people who should know this standard do not know it that well. Most fleet managers are familiar with the rules, which is important because the A92.2 standard obligates owners of aerial lifts to be held liable for equipment they sell in certain scenarios. On the employee side, a working knowledge of A92.2 can prevent incidents and loss of life. In fact, a recent live-line barehand...

A Practical Review of the C2-2017 National Electrical Safety Code

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 18, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

In the June-July 2020 issue of Incident Prevention magazine, I made a mistake in the Q&A. I stated that there is no consensus on a particular procedure when, in fact, there is. It is new in the most recent edition of the National Electrical Safety Code, but I missed it when it was published in 2017. In light of my error, I decided I should take a closer look at the most recent revision of the standard and present my findings here for the benefit of iP’s readers. The NESC is one of the consensus standards that I regularly recommend as an important resource – every safety professional...

Arc Flash and Face Masks

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 16, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Recently I have received numerous emails and phone calls regarding respiratory air-filtering masks rated for arc flash. I’m sure everyone reading this, no matter what country you’re in, is aware why that’s the case: the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are a regular reader, you know it is my methodology to address topics by first citing the related safety standards in effect and then discussing the issue from a practical perspective typically related to the utility industry. This time is no different – for the most part. Initially, the use of masks during the pandemic was limited as effective...

Train the Trainer 101: The ABCs of Grounding Mobile Equipment

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 13, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Across our industry, I have found all kinds of policies for grounding trucks. I also have found that in many cases, employers’ rules for grounding trucks are not based on OSHA requirements and – even more concerning – are not based on sound principles of protection. I believe the grounding policies are well intentioned, but they fail to achieve two important goals: (1) meeting the OSHA standard and (2) protecting workers where electrical contact hazards exist. So, let’s take an ABCs approach to the issue because even though some detailed explanation is required, it really is that simple. A...

Train the Trainer 101: FMCSR Awareness

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 19, 2020. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

When analysts look at utilities, and to some extent utility contractors, they often see what’s referred to as “mission creep.” That occurs when the expertise of the utility should be focused on quality and continuity of service but begins to be compromised by focus on too many other areas. The opposite of mission creep is when business elements that are critical to successful progress toward the goal get overlooked because of focus on the goal. One business element that gets less attention than it deserves are big trucks and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). Granted, 75%...

Train the Trainer 101: Know OSHA – or Pay the Price

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 13, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

There are two reasons why it’s problematic not to know OSHA. The first reason gets the employer in trouble. The other reason gets everyone in the utility sector in trouble. Let’s begin this installment of “Train the Trainer 101” with a discussion about the first reason and why it’s important to know OSHA from the perspective of rules and regulations. There are some realities we need to acknowledge to understand the difficulties different employers face. These are generalities based on my experience; I do not seek to classify all sectors of the utility industry as the same. It is a reality...

Train the Trainer 101: Rigor and Discipline

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on September 16, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

The date was January 28, 1986. The event was the tenth and final flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Seventy-three seconds into flight, the booster rocket that was lifting Challenger into space exploded, killing all seven astronauts aboard. When events like the Challenger explosion happen, you never forget where you were at the time. You remember the iconic photos and the national days of mourning for those lost. After the Challenger explosion, President Reagan appointed the Rogers Commission to investigate the disaster, and some of you may remember the news commentary on the Rogers...

Train the Trainer 101: OSHA, Training and Certification

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 19, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

The occupational safety and health industry and civil authorities require that employers provide training to employees. In the U.S., OSHA mandates safety training related to tasks assigned to employees. The agency often also requires the employer to certify that the training has been completed. In fact, if you have an incident requiring OSHA notification, the first question that will be asked is, “Was the employee trained for the task?” The second inquiry will be a request for documentation of the training, usually followed by an enforceable subpoena for those training records. Training and...

Train the Trainer 101: Manufacturer Warnings and OSHA-Compliant Safety Performance

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 14, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Over the past few weeks I have received several inquiries regarding horizontal directional drilling (HDD). It’s not unusual in our industry for questions to make the rounds of utilities and contractors, generating interest and often controversy. I also have recently received several inquiries regarding OSHA allegedly canceling the digger derrick exemption in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, “Cranes & Derricks in Construction.” OSHA hasn’t done that, but somebody said they did, and folks started asking around. Soon after, I received calls for clarification on the matter. In the digger derrick...

Train the Trainer 101: Root Cause Analysis, Training and Lessons Learned

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 10, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

I’m not sure how I became an analyst. I don’t think it’s a career goal you necessarily plan for. My understanding of the analyst role is that it’s an individual who studies the elements of an event or occurrence. Analysts break down the elements of an event to learn how those elements are related. The purpose of analysis is to understand the nature of the event being studied. Through effective analysis, we ultimately create or assure desired outcomes and prevent or minimize the likelihood of undesired outcomes. Over the past 10 years I have analyzed a half-dozen training accidents that...

Train the Trainer 101: Telcom Workers Don’t Need FR – Or Do They?

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 18, 2019. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

The question that is the title of this installment of “Train the Trainer 101” originally came to me from a client during safety training for the company’s distribution employees. The client is a T&D contractor with a telecommunications (telcom) division. And yes, the question was regarding arc flash, which is not the same thing as FR. To utility workers, FR formerly meant “flash resistant.” The acronym FR was stolen from the utility industry by the road construction industry for traffic safety vests and now has come to stand for “flame resistant.” Flame resistance is the quality of a...

Train the Trainer 101: Solving PPG – Without Electrical Math

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 14, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

This installation of “Train the Trainer 101” may have an odd title, but it was inspired by some recent conversations I’ve had. I’ve learned a lot about personal protective grounding (PPG) in the past 20 years, and I continually learn even more as others share their research and experiences. Some time ago I learned that much of the fundamental electrical math upon which electrical circuit theory is based does not adequately explain the risk from high currents imposed on grounded systems. That does not mean there are not theoretical explanations for all of the results in high-current fault...

Train the Trainer 101: Are Those Tools and Equipment Approved?

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 11, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

We provide tools and equipment for our crews. Sometimes they are special tools, and sometimes they are generic tools necessary to support routine crew work. Sometimes they are accessories for trucks and equipment, and sometimes they are simply extra tools or equipment to make things easier on the people in the field. The question then is, are these tools approved? The following is going to aggravate some readers, so let’s start with a reminder: I attempt to clarify and simplify compliance with this series. This is about making compliance easier and sometimes less expensive. So, here is an...

Train the Trainer 101: The Value of a Site-Specific Health and Safety Plan

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 10, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

If you follow OSHA’s guidelines, you train your workers to perform hazard analysis. You probably have a tailboard process as well, although your company might have a different name for it. Tailboards and crew hazard analysis are fundamental leading indicators of a good safety program. But hazard analysis and tailboards are only two elements of what really makes a difference in a safe approach to work. A health and safety site-specific plan (HASSSP) and the HASSSP process bring with them innumerable benefits – not just prevention of unwanted incidents. When I was a contractor safety...

Train the Trainer 101: Enforcement of Vehicle Weight and Load Securement Rules

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 12, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101, Equipment Operations.

In the past few months, I have received comments and inquiries from all over the U.S. regarding what appears to be stepped-up enforcement of both load securement and vehicle weight rules. It’s not unusual that these topics garner attention from the U.S. Department of Transportation when it comes to carriers, but this recent uptick seems to be for smaller commercial vehicles, mechanics trucks, pressure diggers, and bucket and digger derrick trucks. Not all utility safety professionals may be up to date on this topic because DOT issues are not front-burner issues. Typically, the human...

Train the Trainer 101: Current in Grounds Can Kill

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 18, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Over the past six months, three things have happened that I want to mention. First, I have answered numerous questions from clients and Incident Prevention readers regarding personal protective grounding (PPG). Second, the industry has experienced a rash of injuries and fatalities related to current in grounded circuits. The incidents most often have been associated with induction, but not always. And third, I have consulted with utilities and contractors, large and small, who are just now recognizing they have issues understanding PPG. It’s been hard to gauge the numbers – such as the...

Train the Trainer 101: Lessons from Puerto Rico

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 21, 2018. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

I read the menu board and placed my order through the drive-through speaker. In her native Spanish, the employee assisting me rapidly confirmed my order and asked several follow-up questions; I answered “yes” to each question even though I didn’t understand what she was asking me. In the end, the order totaled $9.62. When I opened the contents of the bag, it was like opening a Christmas present, since I had no idea what I had just ordered. And, well, it was Christmastime after all, even though I happened to be in Puerto Rico. That experience was my first lesson as an American who only...

Train the Trainer 101: No Windows

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 15, 2017. Posted in Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Two U.S. Navy ships recently were involved in collisions at sea. It seemed impossible that one event, involving the USS Fitzgerald, would even occur. Then, a second collision occurred in the same region. In fact, in the last year, the Pacific fleet has experienced four serious navigational awareness errors, which has raised a question: Could the Navy have become so slack in discipline and readiness that these events were destined to happen? We all know that, just as in the military, frontline leadership in the utility industry has a direct bearing on performance in the field. Yet...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Aviation for Power-Line Applications

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on September 11, 2017. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

It was a little over 40 years ago that a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot in Florida made the first live-line contact with a live transmission circuit, bringing a quantum leap for power-line applications using helicopter methods. The FAA regulates what they call “rotorcraft” work with specific qualifications for pilots, flight crews and the airships and auxiliary equipment used. Many utilities and contractors think helicopters – or HCs, in flyers’ lingo – are for use on difficult projects because of the expense. But I have been working with contractors for the last 15 years who recognize...

Train the Trainer 101: Training and Verification Requirements for the Safety of Electric Utility Workers

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 7, 2017. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

A number of years ago I investigated a pole-top flash that took place during a transfer. The flash occurred when an improperly installed blanket left a dead-end flange exposed on the backside of the metal pole-top. During untying, the tie-wire contacted the exposed flange. No one was hurt. The issue was the lineman’s selection and installation of the blanket. The foreman assumed the lineman was experienced and competent to perform the three-phase transfer with minimal instruction. The problem was the lineman had spent the last several years on a service truck, had little transfer experience...

Train the Trainer 101: Addressing Common Fall Protection Questions and Concerns

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 18, 2017. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

To begin this article, I want to offer a disclaimer. One of the reasons the “Train the Trainer 101” series was created is to examine the practical aspects of compliance as they relate to the utility industry. We do that by reading the statutes, looking at how OSHA interprets and enforces the rules, reviewing what the consensus standards state and then determining practical ways the employer can manage and comply with the rules. Sometimes I raise an eyebrow, but in working with the group of professionals who review every article published in Incident Prevention’s pages, we endeavor to ensure...

Train the Trainer 101: The New Walking-Working Surfaces Final Rule

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 15, 2017. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

OSHA’s final rule on 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D, “Walking-Working Surfaces,” is finally here. It’s 26 pages of nine-point font equaling 21,675 words, and I read them all. It’s big, and if you include the preamble in your analysis, it is also complicated. It was just as hard to write about as it was to read. I guess that shouldn’t be unexpected for a final rule that has been in the works since 1983. The original 1910 Subpart D was published in 1971. The first update was proposed in 1983, but it was never ratified. Proposals were again considered in either the Construction standard or the General...

Train the Trainer 101: Understanding Canine Behavior for the Protection of Utility Workers: Part Two

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

In the last installment of “Train the Trainer 101” (see http://incident-prevention.com/blog/train-the-trainer-101-understanding-canine-behavior-for-the-protection-of-utility-workers), I provided information to help utility personnel understand, in part, why dogs do what they do. In particular, I addressed the pack mentality, dominant and submissive behaviors, and when and why a dog may feel threatened and try to attack. In the conclusion to this two-part article, I will explain how best to respond to unfamiliar dogs and what to do if you are attacked, as well as discuss breeds that are more...

Train the Trainer 101: Understanding Canine Behavior for the Protection of Utility Workers

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 12, 2016. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

Utility personnel are going to find themselves in confrontations with dogs. It is the nature of our work. How a worker responds during that type of engagement will have consequences that can be good or bad. The best consequence is when the parties go their separate ways and no one is left bleeding. Frankly, bleeding is not the worst outcome of these situations. People sometimes die as a result of confrontations with dogs, and the dogs can be hurt or killed, too. As a dog person, I would choose to see everyone walk away if at all possible. While there is no magic formula that can be used to...

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...

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...

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...

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, Train the Trainer 101, 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...

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, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

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, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

Train the Trainer 101: Practical Personal Protective Grounding

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 17, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101, 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...

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, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

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, Train the Trainer 101, 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...

Train the Trainer 101: Addressing Anchorages

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 16, 2015. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

Train the Trainer 101: Substation Entry Policies

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 10, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

Train the Trainer 101: Stringing in Energized Environments

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 16, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety, Train the Trainer 101, 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...

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, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

Train the Trainer 101: OSHA Forklift Certification Requirements

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 20, 2014. Posted in Train the Trainer 101, Equipment Operations.

There are two rules I see consistently violated in utility operations. Coincidentally, one of them – fall protection on roofs and substation transformers – happens to be addressed in this issue’s Q&A. The other is certification and licensing for forklift operators as required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6), “Certification,” which states, “The employer shall certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l). The certification shall include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the...

Train the Trainer 101: Safety Incentive Programs

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on May 13, 2014. Posted in Safety Management, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

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, Train the Trainer 101.

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...

Train the Trainer 101: Grounding Trucks and Mobile Equipment

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 20, 2013. Posted in Train the Trainer 101, Grounding.

A few years ago at a company I worked for, an experienced, highly trained professional lineman, thinking he was lifting a truck ground, inadvertently lifted the ground rod connection for a transmission circuit bracket ground. Induction current instantly killed him as though he had made contact with an energized phase. The genesis of the incident was largely a lack of attention to details as everyone seemed to be aware of the risks and understood the purpose and need for the grounding that was installed. In the past six years, I have personally consulted for 11 different companies that...

Train the Trainer 101: Why You Need More than 1910 and 1926

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on September 19, 2013. Posted in Safety Management, Train the Trainer 101.

OSHA, like MSHA, publishes regulations for the employer to follow to promote safety in the workplace. The methodology of the regulations is to establish performance goals. Regulations do not establish procedures according to OSHA, even though they may occasionally require certain actions. One example is requiring barricades and equipotential mats at grounded equipment to protect workers from voltage gradients. When I teach about OSHA, I like to demonstrate the difference between rule and procedure using rule 29 CFR 1910.23(e)(3)(v) regarding guardrails. Where guardrails are required, they...

Train the Trainer 101: Live-Line Tool Maintenance Program

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 19, 2013. Posted in Safety Management, Train the Trainer 101.

Around 2009, a hot-line crew working in the Southwest had a transmission phase suspended under a hot stick while replacing a suspension string. The observer on the ground was the first to spot it. The crew was warned and looked up to see their rated hot stick smoking, all the more urgent because at the time they had no safe place to land the phase. The day was freezing and windy, not uncommon for that part of the Southwest. The wind was picking up dust and then mixing with sleet. The sleet started to adhere to the stick, creating a path to the steel crane line. Thinking quickly, the crew...

Train the Trainer 101: ASTM F855 Grounding Equipment Specs Made Simple

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 21, 2013. Posted in Train the Trainer 101, Grounding.

I define safety as identifying and managing hazards to prevent incidents. That is accomplished using a broad array of tools and rules for the employer and workforce. Good safety professionals and trainers have to go beyond the OSHA and MSHA regulatory text to completely understand the rules. That is where preambles to the standards, interpretations, CPLs and consensus standards are needed. In 29 CFR 1910.269 Appendix E, OSHA lists consensus standards that, as the introduction to Appendix E states, can be helpful in understanding and complying with the requirements of 1910.269. One of the...

Train the Trainer 101: Understanding Grounding for the Protection of All Employees

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 29, 2013. Posted in Train the Trainer 101, Grounding.

I suspect that in the past 20 years the utility industry has grounded more circuits for the protection of employees than were ever grounded in the first 115 years of utility operations. Judging from the number of serious incidents and hazardous conditions created by temporarily grounding systems, it seems that we may not have understood all of the issues. It’s almost intuitive; grounding makes the work safer, but for whom? I once investigated a case in which an apprentice standing in a muddy right-of-way was grounding a truck to a pole bond and received a severe shock. A system fault...

Train the Trainer 101: Arc Hazard Protection

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 18, 2013. Posted in Safety Management, Train the Trainer 101.

You have read and heard about all of the related standards for arc flash protection and you still don’t have a program or even a plan for a program, right? In this installment of “Train the Trainer 101,” I will sift through the rules so you can begin a practical approach to creating an effective and compliant program. Obviously, we want to protect employees and well-developed programs accomplish that, but this article primarily focuses on the administrative side of compliance. The BasicsArc flash is a recognized hazard and as an employer, you must evaluate the risk and respond...

Train the Trainer 101: Working from Crane-Mounted Baskets

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on December 13, 2012. Posted in Train the Trainer 101, Equipment Operations.

While the use of man baskets mounted on cranes is common to the utility transmission construction industry, it will surprise many that OSHA has clearly established their premise that cranes are designed to lift loads – not people – and that hoisting personnel with a crane is inherently more dangerous than using equipment designed to lift personnel. For this reason, it is important that safety planners and crews understand OSHA’s intentions for crane-mounted baskets and the issues associated with their use. The crane and derrick standard regulates lifting of personnel, both in a...

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