Working Alone

[TXsplitbolt]

Oncor worker dies in apparent electrocution
07:58 PM CDT on Saturday, September 22, 2007
From Staff Reports

A 39-year-old Oncor worker died at a local hospital Saturday after apparently being electrocuted while working on an electrical line, police said. John Murphy of Benbrook was pronounced dead about 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Forest Hill police said that Mr. Murphy was working on a line in the 6000 block of Guilford Street.

Shortly after noon Saturday, company officials realized that Mr. Murphy hadn't checked in and they couldn't reach him, so another worker was dispatched to check on him, police said. When the other worker arrived, he found Mr. Murphy in a cherry picker bucket that was extended into the air.

"It was obvious that he needed some [medical attention]," Forest Hill Police Chief Rex Phelps said.

Mr. Murphy was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

My Heart goes out to his family!!!

[Bull Dog]

Osha will have a few questions for those boys!

[loodvig]

My thoughts are with his family.
I often wondered who would help me while I'm working alone. We had a 'code blue' switch just above the sun visor inside the truck. It would send out a mayday call and also send out our location using the GPS. But I would ask at our safety meetings just who was going to switch this code blue for me if I'm up in the bucket and hurt. So they came out with a remote button that we brought up in the air with us. BUT, it wasn't water proof! As soon as it got wet it sent out the code blue signal. I think N-Grid is still working on it. I hope so anyway!

[Bull Dog]

You are not allowed by the federal rules to work in the primary zone with out another qualified person there period. No panic buttons no cell phones nothing else will meet the regulation.

[BigClive]

It doesn;t mention that he was working on primary. You tend to be a bit more casual when working on secondary.

[loodvig]

You are not allowed by the federal rules to work in the primary zone with out another qualified person there period. No panic buttons no cell phones nothing else will meet the regulation.

No we don't work primary alone. But still being alone makes you wonder what if! The point I was trying to make is that you are alone so there should be some kind of plan here! I remember one time calling in for an assist from another troubleman. I was told " we haven't heard from him in over 5 hours"! I replyed I hope he is OK!

[Bull Dog]

Right you are big guy. I still have to wonder why any company would send a man out alone using a bucket truck of course unless its the money saved. No matter what hes doing. Might need a grunt to heat coffee or something.

[Oregon Lineman]

My prayers to the family. Why are people putting themselves in this position. We do not get browny points for sticking our neck out. It is up to us to prevent this by refusing to work by ourself. It is better to be an alive chicken, than a dead hero. Please guys stop taking the chances

[topgroove]

You are not allowed by the federal rules to work in the primary zone with out another qualified person there period. No panic buttons no cell phones nothing else will meet the regulation.

we have one person crews working alone on national grid property everynight working primary. there supposed to use a hotstick on any thing over 600 volts but we have a few who seam to bend the rules like cutting loops with bolt cutters instead of the hotstick bolt cutters and using a skinning knife by hand instead of in a shotgun . very hard if not impossible to prove unless you can get a video of it.

[loodvig]

we have one person crews working alone on national grid property everynight working primary. there supposed to use a hotstick on any thing over 600 volts but we have a few who seam to bend the rules like cutting loops with bolt cutters instead of the hotstick bolt cutters and using a skinning knife by hand instead of in a shotgun . very hard if not impossible to prove unless you can get a video of it.

WOW, you got some nice brothers up there Groove! What's the idea? Fix the job on straight time and keep the OT people at home?

[topgroove]

WOW, you got some nice brothers up there Groove! What's the idea? Fix the job on straight time and keep the OT people at home?that's the plan... two weeks ago we had some backlot primary down and one of our one person crew brothers opened some disconnects and than went to a junction pole and cut loops.and than closed the switches back in.I showed up and looked the job over. we had two sections of primary and secondary down. he told me he had it isolated for me...I could hear arcing I asked if your sure you isolated this correctly? he said yes that sound must be tree frogs! I went to the junction pole where he cut loops and there was a single phase 4.8kv delta tap running to the north. one lead was on the dead side and the other was on the hot side. it was feeding a 25kva tub and back feeding the section of primary he tried to isolate! this guy was into his sixteenth hour working alone. I filled out a safety concern,and guess what??? my supervisor threw it out in the garbage.I bet your glad your retired now loodvig .

[loodvig]

YES I'm very glad I'm out of there!
Do you mean this man opened some solid blade disconnects? Dropping load? Did he use a load buster? N-Grid rules state you do not drop load with solid blades! Not without a load buster.

[PK270]

I have been all over the country and most places use troubleman. They work alone. They are not gloving or sticking from what I have seen but they still get into some sticky situations.

How does this fall into OSHA policy.

Let me take that back, they are switching. Some of the switching they do at those hours are pretty hairy too. Seems as if the rules are applied like "dont do this while we are watching".

[graybeard]

My thoughts and prayer go out to the family. But again we never heard about this at work and were are the details. Every company talks SAFTY FIRST but they all keep these accidents close to the vest. Its a tearable thing when these things happen but I still wonder why the IBEW dosen't get these things out so no one else makes the same mistake.

[loodvig]

That's a good question. The answer is the IBEW is now run by narrow backs! Years ago the companys pushed for 2 man crews. IBEW said OK. Now I think the companys would like to see one man in a truck. WTF the IBEW allowed us to work a 12 hour day at straight time! We set union labor back 50 years on that move! JMO

[Stinger]

my prayers and condolences to the family. This one man show has to go. It has everything to with money spent, not safety!!! As our two brothers from NG refere to as national greed. Could not be better put.
As loodvig stated, the IBEW is run by narrow backs, office workers, sound technicians ets. This union was founded by henry Miller, a lineman, for lineman. I think we have lost our focus. Which goes back to the idea do we create another union for lineman only or can we get back to basics in the IBEW. I for one fail to see how the IBEW can represent court reporters and the likes, I think there are more appropriate unions for them to join. Loodvig, TopGrove, can the locals in contract negotiations bargin for two man trouble crew? I have not worked as a troubleman, but it has always crossed my mind why they are out there by themselves.