IMEA | eSource

June 26, 2020

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Workplace Safety Measures and Risks in the Utility Industry: Protecting Your Workers

The number of industries that fall under the utility industry umbrella is considerable. However, one factor is true across many of these industries: utility companies often have employees who are regularly working alone in remote areas. Employers need to recognize the severity of safety hazards that come when workers are alone in the field. The crucial question is: if anything happened to our workers on the job, would we know? And if we knew, do we have appropriate safety protocols to handle an emergency effectively?

Safety Measures and Risks in the Workplace Specific to the Utility Industry

In addition to electrical hazards, employees who are frequently dealing with gas, water, and sewage are also exposed to substantial environmental risks. Safety hazards are exceedingly common and can be triggered by many variables that may be work site or weather-related. Let’s look at a few of the most common safety hazards that the utility industry imposes:

Working in confined spaces may involve working underground or in a minimal space, often with electrical equipment. Unstable structures are a significant threat, as well as the risk of suffocation or being seriously injured, trapped, or crushed in the event of a collapse. Furthermore, given that confined spaces themselves are often very small, a worker is often alone.

Working at heights poses an additional risk. Unfortunately, this is standard practice across the utility sector, whether it’s scaling towers, climbing scaffolding, inspecting water and gas systems, or operating machinery off the ground. Of course, working at heights constitutes a very high risk of falls, according to the United States Department of Labor.

Electric hazards: are a notable safety concern. Working with electricity dramatically increased the chance of electrocution, which could result in severe injury or death. Contact with live parts that cause shocks and burns, errors that could cause fires, faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, and poorly installed or maintained electrical equipment all pose notable safety threats. Hazards related to working in the water industry are also often electrical due to the incompatibility of water and electrical power. When combined, the two are extremely dangerous. Besides electrical-related water hazards, workers can fall into filtration and water tanks and potentially drown.

Safety while traveling It is also worth identifying the potential for safety hazards that arise during work-related travel. Naturally, workers are required to travel between locations or job sites. Employees often operate company vehicles and machinery on the job, as well. Motor vehicle accidents are significant drivers of injury and death when we take into consideration roads and other drivers’ unpredictable behavior. Furthermore, large vehicle often have blind spots that are difficult to account for. This can create risks for both the employee and their immediate environment.

What Employers in the Utility Sector Can Do?

With this extensive list of things that can go wrong in the workplace, employers must take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, their employees, and their bottom line. This means being proactive and using a preventative safety measure and check-in systems.

THANK YOU TO OUR FEATURED ASSOCIATE MEMBER FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE!

AMPP Construction

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AMPP Construction Inc.

810 W. Washington Street PO Box 65

Winchester, IN 47394

Contact: Mark Moody

Phone: 765-620-6998

Email: moody1293@outlook.com

Contact: Brent Kinnett

Phone: (765)305-1988

Email: bkinnett@amppconstruction.com

Company Services Provided: Overhead Distribution, Underground Distribution, Transmission, Substation Construction, Maintenance, Testing and Commissioning, Troubleshooting, Restoration, Repairs and Emergency Services

Providing confidence every step of the way.

Gallagher is a global leader in insurance, risk management & consulting services helping clients face challenges and providing effective solutions.

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www.ajg.com

From the Desk of Duane Richardson

As we near the end of the second quarter of 2020, we would like to thank you for your continued focus on safety, working safely and ensuring a safe working environment. We continue to encourage you to invest in your employees and workplace through safety education programs through the Indiana Municipal Electric Association (IMEA).

IMEA has begun to resume our (new) normal training sessions which kicked off Monday June 22 in Scottsburg, IN. with the IMEA 613 Advanced Workshop at the Mid-America Science Park. Apprentices from Logansport, Huntingburg, Frankfort, Scottsburg Flora and Lebanon attending the workshop.

IMEA Safety Meetings will continue to be conducted via webinar for July and August and resume in-person meetings in September

For those of you who participate in our programs, we thank you for your ongoing commitment and the opportunity to serve you. For those who may not currently be participating, we encourage you to take a closer look what we can offer your utility and its employees.