Tag: Worksite Safety

100 Percent Fall Protection: A Joint Union-Management Effort

Written by Kevin J. Severson, CUSA on April 8, 2011. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Alliant Energy (AE) management and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union personnel began looking at the 100 percent fall protection issue about four years ago. AE is comprised of two utilities: Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL) and Iowa Power and Light (IPL). Union workers are represented by five IBEW locals. Internal statistics regarding falls during climbs on wood poles showed numbers in the teens over the last few years and a trend of near misses and minor injuries. Easing into 100 Percent Fall ProtectionBelieving that fall protection straps would probably be...

ATV Safety Begins with Proper Training

Written by Todd Horning on February 15, 2011. Posted in Worksite Safety.

All-terrain vehicles, also known as ATVs, have a long-standing reputation for being unsafe and dangerous for riders and passengers. Operational injury statistics are staggering, averaging well over a half-million injuries in the U.S. since 2004. Although many injuries are linked to recreational use, ATVs in the workplace are expanding in a variety of industries, thus increasing the risk of job-related injury. Many theories exist about what can be done to reduce or eliminate ATV-related injuries, but one thing is certain: Proper training to avoid hazards, execution of preventive maintenance...

Rubber Insulating Line Hose

Written by John Boyle on December 1, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Rubber insulating line hose (RILH) is a portable safety device designed to cover exposed energized power lines and protect workers from incidental contact. Insulating line hose comes in various configurations and shapes. Its purpose is to completely cover line or equipment to which it is applied. RILH is constructed, tested and maintained according to ASTM standards. Standard D1050 covers manufacturing and technical requirements; standard F478 covers in-service care; and standard F1236 provides guidance for visual inspection of blankets, gloves, sleeves and other rubber insulating...

Are You on Cruise Control?

Written by Kevin J. Severson, CUSA on August 1, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Many utility companies are focusing on zero injuries and their efforts have been paying off, with fewer employees are getting hurt. This is attributed to an arsenal of things such as meaningful safety meetings, applying injury prevention theories, ergonomic tools, detailed job briefings and many other proactive safety actions. If you are lucky enough to work for such a company, you should be proud of yourself and your fellow employees and continue to strive for zero injuries. Learn From Near MissesHowever, you still may be having near misses. Near misses typically don’t involve conscious...

Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety

Written by John Boyle on July 30, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Compressed gas has become very commonplace in the utility industry. Flammable gases are used for cutting, burning and welding. Propane is used to heat mastic for piping or to melt lead for splices. Compressed gas fuels are used for fork trucks while refrigerant gases are used by fleet personnel. As a result, most utility workers are exposed to gas cylinders as part of their daily operations. Much like other technology used on job sites, there are hazards associated with compressed gases. These hazards include oxygen displacement, explosion hazards and toxic effects of some gases, as well as...

Preventing Employee Exposure to Pesticides

Written by John Boyle on June 7, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Employees may occasionally encounter crops and substations that have recently been sprayed with pesticides. This Tailgate describes what to look for and the safe work practices to use to minimize pesticide exposure. Following are a few definitions relative to helping you fully understand employee protection from pesticides: Pesticide: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definition of a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. Pests can be insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants, fungi, or...

Line of Fire

Written by John Boyle on April 28, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

“Line of fire” is a military term that describes the path of a discharged missile or firearm. It’s the path an object will travel. In utility work there are many objects that have potential to create line of fire exposure. Awareness is the first defense. Be alert for conditions that may change where the line of fire zone exists, including wind gusts and falling objects. Perform a job site walk-down to identify missing or weak defenses in areas such as arrow trucks, equipment guards and excavation shoring. Remind workers to stay clear of hazards by using flagging, barricades, job briefings...

Partnering to Increase Work-Site Fire Safety

Written by Kate Wade on April 1, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety, Archived Posts.

It’s a warm summer day in San Diego. The temperature is 85 degrees, the relative humidity is 30 percent, and winds are out of the west at 10 to 15 miles per hour. A utility crew from San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) is performing maintenance on a broken cross-arm on a wooden 69-kilovolt transmission pole. Suddenly, a phase-to-phase contact causes a shower of sparks, igniting the dry grass below. The fire grows quickly and blackens several square feet of grass around the pole. A crew from SDG&E’s wildfire contractor, Fire Stop, has been working next to the utility crew. As a...

No Substitute

Written by Michael Stremel, CUSP on February 2, 2010. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Hydraulic tools and equipment have come a long way over the past several decades and even over the last several years. Utilities and many other industries rely on hydraulic tools, equipment and systems to get the job done. Getting the job done is always a big concern, but the priority should always be on getting the job done safely. Hydraulic tools are very common in the utility industry. Equipment such as bucket and digger trucks, cranes, tractors, backhoes, trenching and boring, front-end loaders, shoring equipment, forklifts, chippers, and cable pulling equipment are only a few of the...

How Safe Are Your Ground Grids?

Written by Lee Marchessault, CUSP on December 1, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Ground grids provide a fundamental safety feature in substations and should be tested periodically. Unfortunately, some are approaching 100 years old and haven’t been tested in many years. The most important and critical components of an electrical utility infrastructure are supply stations. In the early days, supply stations contained generation equipment to supply power in quantity to large populated areas. In the late 1800s the first stand-alone substations were constructed to transmit and distribute electric power to more remote areas. Many substations built in the 1920s, with upgraded...

Arc Suppression Blanket Installation

Written by Victor L. Petrovic, Ph.D. on October 2, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Use of arc suppression blankets can help reduce arc flash/blast injuries. When properly installed, arc suppression blankets absorb or deflect heat and blast energy emitted from an arc event, reducing the event’s impact on workers. Proper understanding of the elements involved in an arc flash is key to designing an installation. Heat is a major factor in an arc flash/blast event. Because of the intense heat generated in both radiation (ultraviolet and infrared) and the plasma arc (large fireball that can reach several thousand degrees), protection from this heat is the most important...

A FULL Commitment

Written by Patricia Seeley, CPE on October 1, 2009. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

We all know the data. Typically, one third to one half of our field injuries are musculoskeletal disorders such as strains and sprains, rotator cuff syndrome, lower back disorders and tendonitis. Workers’ compensation costs for these injuries far exceed those for acute incidents such as burns, cuts and even fractures. Sometimes we conclude that a lot of these injuries are essentially non-work related, weekend-athlete and Mr. Fixit events. Sometimes we have to admit that when our field workers see their private physicians for long-term lower back and other disorders, that there is at least a...

What Do We Do About Arc Hazard?

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on October 1, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

To be absolutely clear – there is an arc hazard in the utility workplace. There is also a need for protecting employees with arc protective clothing. If you are responsible for hazard mediation, you should have an arc protection program or at least a plan to begin a program. Regularly, people call me and ask what they should do about NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace; and therein lies the problem. NFPA 70E is not the solution to utility arc flash hazards. What Does NFPA 70E Say?I have found out that most people who ask about complying with 70E have not thoroughly...

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses

Written by John Boyle on July 8, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

With the summer upon us, one concern that always seems to sneak up on workers during high heat periods are heat-related illnesses. Working in a hot, humid environment can be difficult or even fatal if you ignore the signs and symptoms of heat-related disorders. Heat can create a number of safety problems and illnesses due to additional stress on the body. Heat-related illnesses include: • Heat cramps • Heat exhaustion • Heat stroke (which can be fatal if not treated properly) Heat stress is the body’s response to heat loading. Factors that contribute to heat stress include: • Environmental...

Floodwater Hazards and Precautions

Written by John Boyle on June 2, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Storms and heavy rains can produce significant flooding in some areas. These conditions can pose several unique hazards for injury and disease. This Tailgate Topic is intended to help you recognize and avoid these potential dangers to protect your health and safety. Floodwaters can carry infectious materials that may be harmful if proper precautions are not taken. Some of the infectious organisms include E. coli, salmonella, shigella, hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus. The primary route of infection is through open cuts or punctures that have come into contact with contaminated water or...

Making the Right Choice

Written by Tim O'Brien on June 1, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Choosing the correct fall protection equipment for climbing transmission structures Your company is or will be outfitting distribution linemen with fall protection belts that stop falls immediately on cutout. Why then, when considering fall protection equipment for transmission climbers, would you choose equipment that allows linemen to fall over four feet, hitting numerous step bolts and potentially their heads into the tower at close to 15 miles per hour? Is it because IEEE 1307-2004 paragraph 4.4.5 Fall Clearance Distance states: “The worker shall not contact any lower level. Lower level...

Hidden Traps of Generator Use and Backfeed

Written by John Boyle on April 16, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

The small generator is a godsend to those who need electric power where no electricity is found and the popularity of generator use by homeowners is growing by leaps and bound. Unfortunately, not everyone who owns a generator uses it in the safest manner. As a result, they create hazards for utility workers who may be working in close proximity to homes and equipment that may be fed or – even worse – backfed from a personal generator. Generators pose a risk of shock and electrocution, especially if they are operated in wet conditions. During spring and summer storms, you can’t escape the...

Going With the Wind

Written by Steve Jervis on April 1, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Despite the economic downturn, the wind energy industry is growing rapidly and establishing itself as a prominent, sustainable solution that will help generate enough power to help meet current and future demands for renewable energy. Global leaders recognize that wind power can and will be one of the largest sources of new electricity generation. The United States is taking a strong position in this industry; the Obama administration is supporting wind power with an aggressive renewable energy stimulus to back it financially and foster continued growth within the industry. The American...

Aerial Rescue

Written by Alex Marcoux on April 1, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

The Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics, says tower climbers have “the most dangerous job in America.” Steve Fleming, Director of Antenna & Tower Training at Safety One International (www.SafetyOneInc.com), says that on average accidents on towers and cranes lead to 25 deaths per year. Fleming further suggested that close to 80 percent of the deaths at communication towers over the period of 1992-2001 were attributed to falls. “It is no surprise that there are still serious accidents even with OSHA keeping watch,” Fleming said. “Think about it, there’s no room for error. All it...

Stuck in the Mud

Written by John Boyle on March 3, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations, Tailgate Topics.

With the winter thaw occurring in many parts of the country, this TailGate Topic focuses on changing field conditions. Many times our tasks require us to work off the beaten path, placing us in muddy locations. Getting stuck becomes a reality when heavy vehicles are driven over muddy ground. Recovering a vehicle from the mud can be very dangerous and much care and planning are needed to ensure it is done safely. The degree of hazard is proportionate to how stuck the vehicle is—in other words, the degree to which the vehicle will resist your effort. If the vehicle is losing traction, a small...

High Visibility and Arc Ratings for Flame Resistance

Written by Hugh Hoagland on February 2, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Two standards are needed to specify clothing for high visibility and flame resistance. Most companies in the U.S. choose ANSI 107 (for high visibility) and ASTM F1506 (for flame-resistance clothing complying with NFPA 70E or OSHA 1910.269). Citing both means you will have clothing (shirts and vests primarily) that are highly visible and arc- and flash-fire resistant. However, the flame-resistance side is often a weakness because of manufacturers or marketers who push “flame-resistant” standards that are misleading or outright deceptive. On February 28, 2008, Worksafe Victoria, governmental...

What You Need to Know About Substations

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on February 2, 2009. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Beyond information peculiar to technical crafts, every person who enters a substation has a common need to understand substation grounding. This includes things to look for that might indicate problems in the station’s grounding system. Substation grounding plays the primary role in several key aspects of fault clearing, equipment preservation and, most importantly, personnel protection as well as protection of the passing public. In fact, if the ground grid in a station were not in place, anyone standing next to a breaker that operates stands a good chance of being shocked, if not...

Meeting the Challenge

Written by Kate Wade on December 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Progress Energy is a Fortune 250 investor-owned electric utility company that comprises generation, transmission and distribution businesses and a general services company. Progress Energy’s 11,000 employees serve 2.9 million customers over a 50,000-square-mile retail service area in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. The generation business is made up of four nuclear, 16 fossil, four hydro and 30 combustion turbine plants. Transmission consists of high power voltage lines ranging from 69 kV to 500 kV, and various substations and switchyards. The distribution system consists of...

How to Choose and Use Ergonomic Hand Tools

Written by Carla Housh on December 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Drop into any hardware store or home improvement center, and you’re likely to find aisles full of tools labeled “ergonomic.” But what exactly does that mean? Simply put, ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools and other work-related implements that improve a worker’s efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury. “Ergonomically enhanced tools can include helpful features like angled handles, padded handgrips and non-slip coatings,” said Paul Holstein, COO of eTailer CableOrganizer.com. “However, no matter how impressive a tool’s design is, it’s almost...

Strategies for Safety in the Wind Industry

Written by Kate Wade on December 1, 2008. Posted in Safety Management, Worksite Safety.

For the wind power industry, practicing safety has always been more than a mission—it’s required. After all, a wind technician may be working in a space the size of a bathroom located on a tower 80 meters tall, surrounded by massive mechanical and high voltage electrical equipment, in a harsh climate, far from medical services. Today, while the need for safe practices is just as great, the stakes are even higher. Wind has become an established source of power generation, providing enough electricity to serve the equivalent of more than six million homes. With the significant growth in the...

Preventing Underground Damage

Written by Carla Housh on October 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Construction professionals understand the importance of not damaging buried utilities while performing any type of new construction and maintenance work. Even so, accidental strikes of underground utility lines continue to interrupt essential services, cause millions of dollars in damage, result in serious injuries, and in some cases, loss of life. As utility easements become more crowded, preventing damage to underground facilities has become increasingly challenging. “Protecting our buried utilities is of critical importance,” says Mike Dvorak, Sales Manager – Electronics for The Charles...

Arc Flash – Are You in Compliance?

Written by Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP on October 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety, Archived Posts.

Some utility personnel have resisted arc-flash compliance with the presumption that arc flashes and blasts are not a major issue for the utility industry. Organizations and standards committees such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), NFPA70E (National Fire Protection Association), EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute), CRN (Cooperative Research Network) and others confirm this as a false statement. An IEEE study concluded, “To decrease the number and severity of non-fatal electrical burn injuries, direct worker exposure to electrical arc energy must be...

Inspecting, Cleaning and Storing Live-Line Tools

Written by John Boyle on September 8, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

Although insulated tools are designed and tested to protect the electrical worker, dirt and other contaminants can greatly reduce the protection of live-line tools. Following is an overview of care to keep your equipment in good working condition. INSPECTION Wipe clean live-line tools and visually inspect them for defects before use. • Look for the following conditions: o Surface contamination o Cut or broken glass fibers on the tool. Damaged fibers reduce the strength and insulating protection of the tool. o Cracks running the length of the tool (caused by crushing the tool). If this type...

Putting Mind Over Human Error

Written by Michael S. Haro, Ph.D., CBSS on August 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Accidents happen when we least expect them. “Why?” is usually the first question. The common follow-up analysis is, “How could I have let this happen?” “Delayed intelligence” is a natural thought process following an accident or unpleasant event that can be explained by your level of thought awareness. Before the incident occurred, you likely were operating in “automatic.” Your level of thought awareness or attention to details while doing the task was low to numb, and you probably were operating out of habit. Immediately following the incident, your awareness level was elevated, and you...

PPE The Last Line of Defense

Written by Rick Tobey, CUSP on August 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

If you consider personal safety equipment inconvenient and uncomfortable to wear, you may want to consider the alternatives. When you cannot engineer, administratively eliminate or guard against a hazard, personal protective equipment is the only thing between you and serious injury. It is, in other words, the last line of defense utility workers have from injury. When I perform safety audits, I often hear the same excuses for not having PPE on at the time. “It’s too uncomfortable,” “I can’t work with these on,” “I can’t be productive if I follow all these rules.” Let’s deal with the first...

Free Climbing vs. Safer Climbing

Written by Carla Housh on August 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

San Diego Gas & Electric recently hosted a Western Fall Restraint Conference. SDG&E is moving forward in establishing safer climbing practices and knew they would benefit from bringing their western partners together to share what has worked for them in launching a new program, best practices, equipment concerns and overall experiences. There were approximately 50 in attendance and presentations were made by Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, BC Hydro and Los Angeles Department. The driver in implementing a safer climbing program...

Inspection of Wooden Poles

Written by John Boyle on July 15, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety, Tailgate Topics.

As we are in the midst of summer storm season, many hazards are encountered during storm restoration. One hazard that randomly reveals itself is a fall due to a wooden pole breaking under the lineman’s weight. Of course, “good” wooden poles don’t break; the area of concern is the wooden pole that has reached the end of its life cycle due to decay. But how do you know if a pole is safe to climb? To answer the question you have to consider two important facts, first you have to acknowledge that like many things, poles “wear out”. Most utility poles are made of wood treated with some type of...

Effective Fall Protection for Utility Workers

Written by Kate Wade on June 2, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

A review of the relevant standards and training that companies need to provide. OSHA and ANSI mandate the use of fall protection equipment and sufficient training for companies whose employees are exposed to fall hazards. Utility workers put themselves in high-risk situations when working at heights. There is no more diversified work environment than in the utility industry; continuous change and technological advancement within the industry create new challenges for an effective fall protection program. THE STANDARDS OSHA 1910.269 (g)(2)(v) states, “fall arrest equipment, work positioning...

Tower Rescue Pre-planning Pays Off

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on April 1, 2008. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Tower rescue presents a completely different level of difficulty in planning and methodology. Whether 250-ft communications or transmission towers, they are often necessarily placed in remote areas, and usually inaccessible to conventional paramedic rescue vehicles. While it is each individual employer’s responsibility to make their own determinations on how rescues will be accomplished, the following may help in preplanning for these unusual rescue situations. Pre-planning for rescue in these situations must answer several questions. Effective Communications911 plays a key role in...

Perfect Storm – The Case for AED’s

Written by Patrick Davis on August 1, 2007. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Could deployment of an Automated External Defibrillator prevent sudden cardiac death and save your utility from a perfect legal storm? A few years ago, a popular movie retold the story of a lone fishing boat caught in the storm of the century. In this true story, three storm fronts came together to produce a deadly trap that the ship could not escape. In the utility industry today, several issues are building up simultaneously as well, creating the potential for a perfect storm of legal damage for those caught unaware. Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), the overall leading cause of death in the...

Substations: Eliminating the Dangers Within

Written by Lee Marchessault, CUSP on June 1, 2007. Posted in Worksite Safety.

An integral part of any electric utility infrastructure, substations that are properly designed and maintained by qualified and trained workers are safe and reliable. If a failure occurs, however, it can be catastrophic and even disastrous. The integrity of any substation starts with its design. Initial considerations include excavating the area, installing forms for concrete pads used as a foundation for equipment and the structure, installing an effective ground grid and conduit for associated wiring, laying down a high-resistance sand/gravel base and topping it off with a five-side...

Equipotential Grounding at AEP

Written by Ned Smith - AEP Training on April 1, 2007. Posted in Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Equipotential Grounding at AEP America’s line workers respond to outages every day. The recent snow and ice storms left customers in the dark for several days. Do you remember the hurricanes of 2005? They destroyed entire electrical systems along the Gulf coast. While working “at home,” line workers have a consistent environment of personnel, safety rules, work procedures and construction standards. Protecting themselves from unexpected hazards is part of the everyday job. The hazards are there, but the people they work with, as well as the work procedures they use, are...

LockOut TagOut

Written by Roger Buttke on February 1, 2007. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Clearly a key component of the safety program at any facility, and particularly at a complex installation such as a nuclear power station, is its energy control policy. Commonly referred to as “lockout/tagout,” it is the plan developed by an employer to protect workers from serious injury or death resulting from the unexpected start-up of machines or equipment or the release of stored energy. Dominion’s Kewaunee Power Station is no exception. While many of these programs are driven by 29CFR1910.147 (Control of Hazardous Energy), energy control procedures at a power plant...

Digging Out – The Interagency Snow Rescue Task Force

Written by Alex Marcoux on February 1, 2007. Posted in Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

How the Interagency Snow Rescue Task Force was well positioned to meet the challenges of Colorado’s recent snowstorms and save many lives. Inspired by life altering events, Art Seely of Safety One, Inc., has formed a unique team. The Interagency Snow Rescue Task Force (ISRTF) was initially conceived when EMS rescue attempts failed to reach a Denver victim stranded in less than one foot of snow. This was Seely’s nightmare while he was a young paramedic in 1975, and it was this event that changed his life. In 1984, Seely started a snow vehicle engineering and service company, and...

Ultimate Protection

Written by Victor L. Petrovic, Ph.D. on October 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety.

More than 2,000 workers are injured yearly in arc-flash incidents. High incident electrical energy traveling through the air results in an arc flash. Electricity jumps across a gap in milliseconds, heating a small quantity of air to temperatures reaching as high as 35,000 degrees F-three-and-a-half times the temperature of the surface of the sun-forming an intense fireball that vaporizes metal and burns everything combustible in the immediate area. When an arc flash occurs, energy is released in a number of forms. One is UV, causing injuries similar to sunburn, which can damage the eyes....

Top Five PPE Mistakes

Written by Hugh Hoagland on October 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Identifying PPE Mistakes in Electric Arc Flash Programs After a decade of electric arc testing, incident investigations and incident replications using electric arcs, a few lessons have emerged as critical in assessing a Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) program: 1. PPE ISN’T WORN Whether it’s because of a lack of training about its importance, a policy that says, “Wear it when you need it,” or because the right suit is not being provided for the job, PPE does no good if it isn’t being used. Most accidents happen when workers think they don’t need the...

Stay Alert! Work Safe!

Written by Seth Skydel on August 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Have you ever heard “This is how we’ve always done it” or “We’ve never had a problem before” to describe events that have led up to personnel injuries or even death? While this is a common reaction when people are being questioned during an accident investigation, complacency in the workplace is one of the most dangerous states of mind for you or your employees. A job in the utilities industry can be quite rewarding. However, it can also become mundane and boring to people performing the same functions day in and day out. Knowing that these functions...

CAVE-IN! Increasing Job Site Safety & Reducing Costs

Written by David Dow on February 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety, Equipment Operations.

Excavation and trenching is statistically the most hazardous work in the U.S. construction industry. Frequent news stories from around the country attest to the danger. More than 100 workers are killed each year in trench cave-ins alone. Countless others are injured or maimed, physically and psychologically. Recognizing the need for more effective regulations on excavation safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a revised federal standard in 1990 to establish more clearly the requirements for protecting employees in excavations. The definitive standard...

Lowering the Threshold

Written by Seth Skydel on February 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Advanced products offer utility safety professionals a more effective method for treating burn injuries with less suffering and help reduce injury-related costs. Utility safety professionals charged with lowering the risk of serious injury are undoubtedly focused on prevention. Not only does preventing workplace accidents eliminate pain and suffering, it also pays dividends in lower exposure to liability and in reduced Workers’ Compensation and related costs. It is also common practice among leading utility safety experts to provide products in the workplace that will make immediate...

Cleaning Rubber Goods for Safety

Written by Sherry Dahlke on February 1, 2006. Posted in Worksite Safety.

How the right cleaner can extend the life of tools and workers by uncovering hidden damage and restoring high visibility. A power utility got a big surprise recently when they tested a new, specially formulated rubber goods cleaner on a hot-line jumper. The cleaner revealed potentially hazardous burn and cut damage lurking beneath the grimy, blackened surface. The failed tool was removed from service, averting possible injury. REMOVE GRIME, REVEAL DAMAGE Rubber goods take a beating in the field. Dirt and grime build-up turns tools black. Any change in appearance is a warning that the rubber...

Frostbite

Written by Alex Marcoux on December 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety.

A look at an often unheeded danger. Learn more about frostbite and the predisposing factors that significantly increase its likelihood. David awkwardly gripped the mug with his right hand, forgetting the deformities, and the ceramic cup fell to the floor and shattered. To this day, simple tasks such as fetching a cup of coffee prove to be tricky. Since the incident, David has been relegated to the meter shop rather than working out in the field. Disappointed with his clumsy act, he recalled the event that claimed two fingers and the job he had thoroughly loved. It was a bitter day, but...

4 Rules to Live By

Written by Danny Raines, CUSP on December 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety, Grounding.

Looking for an alternative to ground-to-ground and cradle-to-cradle? The method suggested here could be your answer. Georgia Power Company (GPC) has developed the 4 Cover-up Rules philosophy to train employees rather than requiring a ground-to-ground or cradle-to-cradle glove and/or sleeve rule. Every fatality in the last 89 years at GPC has been phase-to-ground contact or in-series with line-to-load on either primary or secondary voltages. GPC has not had a fatality on system or source voltages (feedback) since the 4 Rules of Cover-up were developed and implemented after the last fatality...

Ergonomics: Preventing Injury

Written by Patricia Seeley, CPE on October 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Among utility workforces there are many excuses for not practicing sound ergonomics along with safety. The most common excuse is that an aging workforce is naturally more injury prone and there is nothing that can be done about it. Another excuse is: “we’ve always done it that way.” To make matters worse, many firms have hired ergonomics consultants who deliver totally unworkable proposals. For example, one consulting firm suggested to a meter-servicing unit that they install an expensive ($10,000) electric motor height-adjustable platform to accommodate a shorter-stature...

Notes From the Underground

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on August 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety.

In the May/June 2005 issue of Incident Prevention the cover article, “Why Single-Point Grounding Works,” generated a lot of inquires about single-point worksite grounding in underground installations. The most frequently asked question was, “How do we create an equipotential zone for underground worksites?” I received inquiries from California to Maine, North Dakota to Florida. There were so many that IP asked if I could immediately address underground protective grounding for employees in this issue. OF BONDS AND BOUNDARIES Let’s begin with the practicality of...

The Burning Question

Written by Scott Margolin on August 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety.

Is 100 percent cotton protective in an electric arc flash? While lab tests say so, real life experiences say no! It is widely understood that clothing made from non-flame resistant synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, nylon and polyester/cotton blends, are not appropriate when working on or near electrically energized parts and equipment. If these garments are exposed to an electric arc flash, they can ignite, melt and drip, which can lead to severe contact burns to the skin. In fact, the OSHA 1910.269 and NFPA 70E standards prohibit this type of clothing. Many people, however, still...

Why Single-Point Grounding Works

Written by Jim Vaughn, CUSP on June 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety, Grounding.

The pros and cons of single-point equipotential grounding, as opposed to working between your grounds or bracket grounding, has generated a lot of discussion. As found in IEEE-1048 Guide for Protective Grounding of Power Lines, single-point equipotential grounding is becoming more simply and accurately referred to as worksite grounding. In most cases, those who don’t trust worksite grounding don’t understand how or why it works. In fact, we have always been taught as linemen to “work between your grounds,” and that seemed like good advice. But it may not have been...

Fall Protection by the Numbers

Written by Lee Marchessault, CUSP on February 1, 2005. Posted in Worksite Safety.

A simple and effective system for ensuring proper fall protection. The development of an effective fall protection program has long been a tough issue to deal with. Many of the hazards that utility workers face often seem impossible to provide adequate protection for without introducing some other unsafe condition. And once systems are developed, getting workers to use them is another problem. Through the ’80s and ’90s, fall protection systems have evolved to provide protection for most work-from-height scenarios and may be used in some combination to eliminate any fall...

The Pain Game: Preventing MSDs

Written by Michael T. Eisenhart, PT on December 1, 2004. Posted in Worksite Safety.

What do a pain in the neck, back or shoulder have in common? Unsafe work behaviors. What’s an ounce of prevention really worth? Not much standing alone. In essence it comes down to equal parts awareness and action in the realms of both safety and health. Awareness without action is simply unused information; action without awareness is simply impulse. Neither is particularly effective without the other. Similar is the link between safety and health. It has been shown with more and more certainty that safety, the practice of consistent safe behaviors, cannot happen in the workplace...

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