NarrowBack on Alum Ladder Kills Self last week

[CPOPE]

http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/N...Y&pageId=3.1.1

Electrician Killed in District Heights Accident

Last Edited: Saturday, 13 Dec 2008, 6:29 PM EST
Created: Saturday, 13 Dec 2008, 5:48 PM EST

An electrician was killed Saturday morning in District Heights after being electrocuted and burned by a 13,000-Volt power line. SideBar

An electrician was killed Saturday morning in District Heights after being electrocuted and burned by a 13,000-Volt power line.

It happened in the 6600-block of Grafton Street shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning.

A witness that lives nearby told FOX 5 the horrific story:

The worker was on a metal ladder leaning against the power pole when something caused an explosion, knocking the worker an estimated 30 feet to the ground. The worker was reportedly alive and on fire, but responding county firefighters and paramedics couldn't get near him to help because the ground near him was electrified and they had to wait for the power to be cut off. By the time they reached him , it was too late.

Two other men were reportedly working on the wires with the victim but have not been seen since the incident.

Pepco investigators sent to the scene said the victim did not work for Pepco. Prince George's County Police have not yet identified him but they believe he was in his 30s.

Pepco says they had received a call Friday about power issues. Investigators found that the problem was with privately-owned equipment and advised the customer that a private contractor would be needed to fix the problem.

[Boomer gone soft]

This story reminds me of a recent accident in Dexter, MN at a wind farm project I was working on.....

The State of Minnesota requires contractors to have a master electrician on their construction projects for wind farms. This particular narrow back could not be told much as he was the "master electrician". He entered an energized tower alone without any FR, did not test for dead, and handled energized equipment. Luckily, he only suffered a flash burn and did not lose any body parts or his life.

There are more instances and examples than I have time to mention.

Personally, I hate the encroachment of narrowbacks onto our turf. Yes, I know they may be Union Brothers, but they have little to no training with high-voltage power systems. There should be more of an outcry among linemen Union Members. It's hard for the "linemen halls" to fight this with International with so many narrowbacks on the books. All I know is.....

THE MORE OF OUR WORK WE LET GO, THE LESS WORK WE WILL HAVE.