Train the Trainer 101 Archives

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 spurred...

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 regulating...

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 exposed...

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 panels...

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 professionals,...

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 rest...

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 obstructions...

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 5G...

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 specifically, trailer...

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 should...

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 respiratory...

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 Defensible...

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 that...

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 Commission...

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 case,...

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 occurred...

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 material...

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 testing....

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 example. About...

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 manager,...

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 resources...

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 frequency...

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 speaks...

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 after-action...

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 the...

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 Industry...

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 prevent...

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 sections...

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 workers’...

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 truck. Sometimes...

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