When I went to work for the electric company in 1964, the first meeting I attended was on safety. This is one thing that hasn't changed over the past 40 years. Most private investor-owned electric utilities place safety at the top of the list. Field supervisors and management go out of their way to make sure lineman and technicians are trained and know the safe way to perform their jobs. I guess I listened to that safety manager when I hired on, because over the years, I have always been aware of not only my own safety and doing it the right way, but also the safety of those around me.

One of the most important things a utility worker in the field can do is stay focused on the environment in which he or she is working. Long days and sometimes long nights can affect your awareness and judgement. Whether you are an engineer out in the field drawing up plans for a new extension, a transmission line inspector checking insulators or a lineman, you must pay close attention or you can lose your focus. It is important to know what is going on around you, but don't be distracted by what's going on across the street. Do what you were put there to do with a single-minded purpose.

During my career at Georgia Power Co., I served as manager of the safety and health department for 14 years. I saw a lot of people enter the electric utility field operations, learn the trade and spend their entire career getting better at it. After a few years, most linemen end up doing pretty much the same tasks everyday. That's what they know. That's their expertise and most are excellent at what they do.

However, one of the dangers in doing it the way you have always done it is not adopting newer work practices, which have proven to be safer. A good example of this is using the appropriate cover-up when working energized circuits, including covering paths to ground in your work area. We didn't used to always cover paths to ground, but now it is an extremely important procedure that must be followed, regardless if you used to do it another way. Extra insulated line hoses should be extended beyond the work area for added protection to linemen should unintentional movement occur

One of the areas where I have observed the temptation to slip on safety is when there is an emergency call out or during storm restoration efforts. In these situations, there is a heightened sense of urgency. Sometimes weather is a factor following a storm. You want to get customers back in service, but what is needed in these emergency situations is to stick with the basics. Follow all safety rules, including wearing electrical protective gloves and sleeves. If the task calls for blankets, get them. If it calls for additional equipment, wait until you have it.

Some things about the electric industry do change, calling for added safety procedures. Customer generation is one of them. More and more businesses and homeowners are hooking up backup generators during outages. Computers and the need to stay “online” have created a new danger. Lineman must ensure these generators are separated from the utility system unless it is worked “energized.” Also, make sure separation measures take into account the utility transformers. I've seen transformers become energized from the customer generators, even though the lines are down and the power appears to be off.

One last piece of advice after working around energized lines all my life: If you are working de-energized circuits, remember they “ain't dead unless they are properly grounded.”

Tony Branan serves the industry as a safety consultant specializing in high-voltage safety and training, as well as addressing other safety issues based on his more than 40 years of experience in and around electric utility field operations. Previously, Branan served as safety & health manager at Georgia Power Co. (Atlanta, Georgia), where he was responsible for accident prevention, fleet safety, industrial hygiene, medical services, workers compensation and OSHA compliance in distribution, transmission and generation.
tonybranan@mrelectricalsafety.com
www.mrelectricsafety.com