Electricity Today T&D Magazine

A comprehensive review of IEEE guidelines and documents

BY JIM TOMASESKI, IEEE, NESC Main Committee, PAR Electric

Every day, utility workers are risking their lives in work environments that involve high-risk activities such as working at extreme heights, managing or repairing energized high-voltage power systems, transporting dangerous goods, working on suspended access equipment, or the opposite, cramped underground with little ventilation, and mitigating natural disasters.

Although assuring the safety and health of America’s utility workers is the top priority among industry, it is no easy task. Ensuring worker safety involves setting and enforcing standards; providing outreach and education, general site...

Utilities ready for Ontario health and safety awareness training

BY PHILL FELTHAM, Editor-in-Chief
Electricity Today Magazine

The Government of Ontario has implemented new regulations that require mandatory basic occupational health and safety training. The new regulations, “Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training”, under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), set out a number of requirements.

First, the regulation sets out the minimum content necessary for both worker and supervisor awareness training programs. For example, workers and supervisory must be trained on their rights and duties under the OHSA as well as know the role of joint...