The IBEW Local 1245 Health and Safety Committee is reporting the following incidents:
- Two Tree crew incidents where the crew thought the tree was small enough that they didn’t need a rope or didn’t need to secure the rope they had in the tree. Both incidents were younger foremen, and both resulted in the tree not going where it was intended. Both took out either the phone or powerline at the work site; one caused an electrical outage.
- A contract crew operated a bucket truck and grapple truck in unison while removing a large tree limb (10” in diameter). When the bucket operator was about to remove the limb, a third-party Safety Consultant (SC) observed that there were ground personnel within the drop zone, including the grapple truck operator. The SC was performing a field and COVID-19 safety observation at the time and issued a temporary Stop Work Order. The contract crew did not adhere to drop zone controls and put the personnel’s safety at risk. Once all personnel were removed from the drop zone, the bucket truck operator proceeded to remove the 10” limb, which subsequently hit the arm of the grapple truck. The SC conducted a temporary safety stand-down with all project personnel and led a coaching discussion that included: drop zone protocols, the essential controls which had been previously provided, the importance of setting up the zone so people and equipment are clear of the zone, personal safety. The SC also pointed out that falling objects, such as tree branches, are the leading cause of tree worker fatalities.
- On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, during the night shift a contract employee working on a project suffered a laceration to the left middle finger while operating a cordless drill. The contract employee wore gloves at the time of the incident. The contract employee was using a cordless drill, with a half-inch drill bit, to upsize existing holes on the insulating boots of the U2 support ring bracket. With the right hand holding the drill, and left hand holding the boot, the contract employee drilled through one of the holes and the drill bit caught the glove, wrapped it and tore it. Before the contract employee was able to release the trigger on the drill motor, it sliced through the glove and into the middle finger, causing a cut deep enough to warrant medical attention. After immediately administering first aid, the contract employee was taken to a local Hospital for emergency medical care. All work was stopped for the remainder of the shift. The contractor was treated and released, although doctors advised them to refrain from any work-related activities for two weeks.
- A Gas Crew was called out to a Grade 1 gas leak where gas, electric, phone and cable utilities were installed in the 1970`s in joint trenches. The crew was in the process of exposing the gas leak when they found a large area of black dirt. When the crew exposed the main, they discovered it had crystalized dirt stuck to it. As the crew further investigated, they figured out that somehow the dirt surrounding the main had been energized and superheated, causing the dirt to stick to the pipe and subsequently causing a gas leak. The crew found 13 pinholes in a three-foot section of the Aldyl-A-type main line. The crew finished exposing the main and made repairs. The crew then began looking for the source of electricity that caused this leak. The crew was able to locate an electric streetlight wire that was burning out, causing the ground to get hot and causing damage to the pipe.
- Lots of issues with the homeless populations squatting in remote work sites and around equipment. This is not only a safety hazard but a bio-hazard as well.
- One company’s customer is trying to dictate how the work gets done. The customer doesn’t want to pay for the extra time it takes to spread the lower 12kv circuit for safe installation of the new conductor above and the lower circuit that cannot be de-energized.
- One company reports that they were doing a reconductor and they were pull the new wire in with the old when a sleeve in the 266MCM came apart, causing a circuit relay and outage. No one was hurt. During the investigation they discovered that the sleeve had been pressed with the wrong dies. Company is currently inspecting all dies for correct sizing for sleeves that are purchased.
- The snakes are out, its that time of year our cold-blooded friends are out and about please watch out for snakes and be aware that they could move into you work area at any time.
- We have seen many MVAs; some could have been very serious with the vehicles being a complete loss, and some minor injuries to the driver.
- There was a circuit relay form a down guy that wasn’t secured on a reconductor project and it swung into the energized under-build and contacted the 12KV. No one was hurt.