- On August 1, a Utility Tree Service tree trimmer sustained a broken right tibia when a tree top he had cut swung into his body and struck him. At the time of the incident, the employee was tied into an oak tree and the butt of the tree top hit his leg. He was transported to the hospital in Los Gatos, treated and released.
- On September 14, a tree trimmer with Trees Inc. in Fresno was struck on the head by a falling limb while performing work on PG&E distribution. He was taken to the hospital for a CAT-scan that came back negative for internal injuries.
- During storm restoration, a three-man crew (ECF and two linemen) were tasked with replacing a hard tap riser jumper and clean riser pot heads. The crew changed out the field phase jumper hot. = To clean the pothead, the employee placed blankets over the steel cross-arm and used a Windex surface cleaner on the pot head in an attempt to loosen the debris. The employee heard tracking and immediately covered himself as an Arc Flash occurred. The employee had all appropriate PPE on and luckily, no injuries occurred as a result of this Arc Flash. The employee is being evaluated by a doctor and monitored by his peers to be sure he is ok.
- A work truck was parked for four days in Bakersfield, after the previous driver took an M&C Crew Foreman bid. For an unknown reason, the truck burst into flames under the hood. The Garage thinks this could have something to do with a 48-Volt system connected to the alternator.
- A T-man was at four-way traffic light at a stop. When he started to roll forward, a vitamin bottle rolled under brake. The driver could not apply brake, foot slipped to accelerator and hit third party vehicle from behind.
- T-Line contractor had a helicopter near-miss. While in flight, a crew member’s hat flew off and struck the tail rotor. No injuries or mechanical damage incurred.
–Rich Lane, IBEW 1245 Business Rep