Originally designed to improve worker safety, Brady Hansen’s SABI project has also caught the attention of the Suriname utility’s executives for another reason. Reliability is becoming a growing concern for EBS customers, who are referred to as “clients” in Suriname.
IBEW 1245 lineman Samson Wilson teaches EBS linemen knot tying
Rates are set to increase quite significantly in December. With the added cost to its clients, EBS recognizes expectations will also increase. Not unlike any American utility, EBS is searching for ways to match those expectations.
Workmanship has been a constant emphasis in the classroom session that every lineman is receiving before an additional day of field training. Engineers also sat in on the first day of training.
Other classroom topics designed to focus on reliability include conductor cleaning, connector installation and anchors and guying. Suriname gets plenty of wind and rain which can contribute to outages.
As an additional means to help EBS, three SABI trainers, including Carl Keehn and Ralph Kenyon from Local 1245, are spending Saturday out in the field with EBS crews. They hope the hands-on experience will provide them with opportunities to suggest new ways to improve safety and reliability.
Group shot at the training center for EBS Power in Paramaribo, Surianame