Stay safe with these utility safety articles. Learn about industry best practices and tips to protect yourself while on the job.| Incident Prevention
If you’re like me, you’ve only encountered sheep at a petting zoo, so here’s a fun fact about them: sheep have rectangular pupils. I included that to make sure you learn something today and to challenge us to explore other sheep characteristics and what we can learn from sheep-shepherd relationships. In doing so, we’ll use […]| Incident Prevention
Explore the challenges faced by utility workers in extreme heat and discover strategies to prevent heat stress effectively.| Incident Prevention
Explore the 5 core components of a well-developed storm response plan to protect public safety and maintain service during emergencies.| Incident Prevention
Explore Visual Intelligence for utility inspections and learn how AI enhances safety and reliability in critical infrastructure.| Incident Prevention
Utility workers perform essential tasks that touch millions of lives every day. The critical nature of the services they provide coupled with the perilous nature of their tasks exposes these workers to life-threatening hazards. This is why the industry highly values and prioritizes safety. Many utility companies operating today have made significant strides in improving […]| Incident Prevention
In the first part of this six-part series, I discussed the reasons why it’s important for utility organizations to develop safety systems that align their safety initiatives. This article will address employee involvement, an often overlooked yet fundamental component of any effective safety system. According to ANSI/ASSP Z10, “Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems,” the […]| Incident Prevention
I’ve written about equipotential grounding for Incident Prevention magazine dozens of times over the past 15 years, both in this column and in the Q&A. Those articles have had thousands of views on Incident Prevention’s website, which suggests that their messaging should be getting through to industry employers and lineworkers – but my experience says […]| Incident Prevention
The pastor of the church I attend recently delivered a sermon that deeply resonated with me and inspired the title of this article. Around that time, I’d been ruminating on some incidents I was investigating as part of my consulting work. I’d read the accident reports and conducted employee interviews, all the while wondering why […]| Incident Prevention
Explore cognitive load in lineworkers and discover how distractions can impact performance in high-stakes environments.| Incident Prevention
Learn how to address bad attitudes in the utility workforce. Effective leadership can transform workplace culture and relationships.| Incident Prevention
Beyond the ABCs: Fall Protection for Unique Tasks | Incident Prevention
Making the Safety Connection: The Impact of Total Well-Being in the Workplace | Incident Prevention
Mental Rehearsals: Responding to Heat Emergencies | Incident Prevention
VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 June – July 2024 incident-prevention.com| Incident Prevention
Q: Why don’t all utilities use rubber gloves with hot sticks? A: One of our supporting consultants sent us this question that he gets all the time. The answer is simple: There is no requirement in any standard to use rubber gloves with hot sticks. Rubber-gloving hot sticks has evolved as a work practice in […]| Incident Prevention
Gray wave. Silver tsunami. Population aging. We’ve all heard the names and metaphors, and experts have talked about the phenomenon for years. In 2024, it’s truly upon us: The population, both in the United States and abroad, is getting older, with major implications for the workforce and how employers manage it. But these descriptors don’t […]| Incident Prevention
The roar of diesel engines fills the midnight air as a crew of linemen prepares to depart for a critical repair job. Their trucks are loaded with tools and equipment, ready to tackle a downed power line that lies miles away. But before they hit the open road, there’s one crucial hurdle to clear: ensuring […]| Incident Prevention
This isn’t the first time – and I suspect it won’t be the last time – that I have addressed the question of what work can be done under the digger derrick exemption found in OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC). The issue has come up constantly since the […]| Incident Prevention
Over the years, I have received many questions asking what it takes to become a journeyman lineworker after being hired as an apprentice. In response, I have prepared the following overview of the skills training I believe needs to be covered. Please note that this is only an overview; some companies will need to deliver […]| Incident Prevention
Win and Win Again: The Blueprint for Repeating Safety Successes | Incident Prevention
Utilities and utility contractors highly value safety. However, labor shortages can sometimes corner field supervisors into making a judgment call about whether an equipment operator is ready for the task. If Foreman A believes an operator is ready after several weeks of training but Foreman B believes the operator still needs several months, who is […]| Incident Prevention
Editor’s Note: Incident Prevention readers’ initial reaction to the following article might be, “HIPAA?” You are encouraged to check for yourself, but HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – does not apply to the methodologies the author presents (see www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/faq/index.html). Incident Prevention recognizes that the author’s work is a deeper dive into the values of human […]| Incident Prevention
In the utility industry, workplace safety is of vital importance. Utility workers face numerous hazards daily, from working at heights and handling electrical equipment to operating in confined spaces and dealing with extreme weather conditions. To ensure the well-being of these essential workers, organizations must adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses both job characteristics and […]| Incident Prevention
Hand protection has evolved in recent times, perhaps making the greatest advancements in the past decade. Although the primary focus of this article is hand protection for electrical shock and arc flash hazards, it also explores the multihazard protection incorporated into newer-generation hand protection, examines safe work practices and glove testing methods, and provides updates […]| Incident Prevention
A trainer, speaking to trainees at the start of class: “Welcome, class. You are encouraged to ask questions and participate. Remember, if you have a question, 15% to 20% of the class probably has the same question.” A trainee, a few hours later: “I have a question.” The trainee then asks the trainer a question […]| Incident Prevention
Q: We are looking for some direction and opinions regarding SF6 gas switches. The SF6 switches we use on our campus are older and starting to pose problems. Some are leaking and others are very difficult to operate. Can you help? A: Sulfur hexafluoride, or SF6, isn’t a topic or problem we can effectively deal with […]| Incident Prevention
To emphasize the critical importance of the meter base checkout procedure, this installment of “Voice of Experience” will cover the proper procedures for (1) checking out a meter base before setting a self-contained meter on new services and (2) resetting a meter after it has been removed and the base has not been in use. […]| Incident Prevention
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 […]| Incident Prevention
Stop-work authority is crucial in our industry. Understand me when I say this: If people aren’t using stop-work authority, they don’t have that authority even if it’s promoted on a bulletin board somewhere. With that said, I want to propose START (self, task, assess, reduce, thrive) work authority to reduce the number of times you’ll […]| Incident Prevention
Does your organization have the capacity to achieve sustainable excellence in safety performance and culture? For excellence to become a reality in any important area of operations, especially safety, there are five vital capacities that organizations must develop, monitor and synergize to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced and ever-changing world: system, leadership, engagement, cultural […]| Incident Prevention
VOLUME 21, ISSUE 2 APRIL – MAY 2024 incident-prevention.com| Incident Prevention
Discover the importance of CPR training in emergency situations. Be prepared to respond to serious events and potentially save lives.| Incident Prevention
In the utility industry, the reliance on flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments has been a longstanding practice to safeguard workers against arc flashes and flash fires. Crafted from specially engineered, self-extinguishing fabrics and adhering to stringent testing standards, these garments play a crucial role in preventing or minimizing the severity of injuries. You should […]| Incident Prevention
Editor’s Note: This timely article specifically addresses the contemporary issue of green-energy backfeed endangering power-line workers. Unlike engine-powered backup generators, green energy makes no telltale noise to alert workers to its presence and possible hazards. Incident Prevention encourages all employers to assess the risks related to backup energy sources and adopt effective storm-work hazard analysis, […]| Incident Prevention
I don’t talk about myself a lot – I listen. I developed this skill after taking on a leadership position with a utility contractor in an industry I knew nothing about. My work history prior to this role included management in pretty much every industry except utilities. In each of my previous jobs, I strived […]| Incident Prevention
In 2009, OSHA published a safety and health information bulletin in part because of the seriousness of injuries that have occurred with skid-steer loaders (see www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/shib011209.pdf). Similarly, NIOSH published an alert in December 2010 in response to the hazards and serious injuries that have occurred with these machines (see www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-128/default.html). In their published documents, the […]| Incident Prevention
Most leadership development programs talk about the vital skill of giving feedback, as they should. I hope you’ve been trained on coaching and feedback and that you practice and enhance those skills frequently. But what about receiving feedback? That is another skill that can be learned, practiced and improved. And it’s a skill I don’t […]| Incident Prevention
Q: We recently participated in a safety seminar during which OSHA’s digger derrick/crane exemption was discussed. We have used the exemption with digger derricks to raise baskets of travelers to pole-tops for wire-pulling installation. Are we in compliance if we are not using a certified crane operator for this work? A: Our interpretation of the […]| Incident Prevention
The cold winter weather of recent months has prompted many conversations about proper sagging and tension on transmission and distribution conductors. Improper sagging and excessively high tension on conductors – past their rated breaking strength – have caused unscheduled system outages, but such outages can be avoided by using the correct loading factors. The system […]| Incident Prevention
Discipline is one of the many things that have served our industry well. Decades before OSHA was established by the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, our industry already had disciplined procedures for switching, controlling and tagging circuits. When OSHA began to establish rules for the power-line industry, they recognized the superior discipline […]| Incident Prevention