Electricity Today T&D Magazine

How to guard utility personnel from shock hazards

BY JEFF JOWETT, Megger

In the power industry, safety is just as important a function as performance. Safety considerations, parameters, and methods of implementation are an integral part of any electrical system. A most important element is the grounding system. This system performs several functions, not the least of which is safety. Substations are active in fault clearance, and personnel working in and around them, as well as pedestrians passing in the vicinity, need to be protected. When a fault condition occurs, the grounding electrode (grid) must be sufficient to equalize potentials...

Lineman Safety Standards are designed to create a safer work environment for linemen and communication workers. It is an ongoing mission for those of us who serve on the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), so it’s worthwhile to highlight changes embodied in Part 4 of the recently released 2017 edition.

Workers may familiarize themselves with these revisions and it’s important that employers align their safety programs with the Lineman Safety Standards and changes to them. It’s also beneficial when the public grasps that when linemen and communication technicians work safely, the public is safe.

The effort to protect workers and...