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CPOPE
12-29-2007, 12:48 PM
Holton utility worker recovering from burns
Hoyt man injured while working on power lines; three Westar linemen hurt
By Mike Hall
The Capital-Journal
Published Saturday, December 22, 2007
A Hoyt man who was injured while working on power lines in Holton is recovering from burns to his arms and hands, Holton city manager Glenn Rodden said Friday.

The injured man, Matt Hanshaw, is an employee of the Holton electric utility. He came in contact with a live wire Wednesday and was taken by helicopter to The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

"He is recovering," Rodden said.

He said he thinks medical personnel are keeping Hanshaw in the hospital to evaluate the extent of his injuries.

During the course of the ice storm recovery, three linemen working for Westar Energy were injured seriously enough that the injuries needed to be reported to the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.

Westar spokeswoman Gina Penzig said Friday that two involved slipping on ice. One resulted in a broken ankle and the other a shattered elbow.

The third incident involved one worker accidentally dropping a tool that struck another in the face.

She said she didn't have ready access to the details of the three incidents, but believes at least the first two resulted in workers being sent to hospitals

IronLine
12-30-2007, 04:17 PM
Its really sad that all of those injuries were preventable, hope the fella with the burns comes out alright.

PK270
01-07-2008, 04:04 PM
Been working in the northeast for a couple of months, climbing towers in snow and slippery conditions. No problem till I slipped in the parking lot of hotel, on ice. Came back from Dr and MRI's show 8 herniated discs. I haven't even got an MRI on my lower back yet, cant wait for what they find there. DR says career is over as far as the DOING end of things. I am trying to come to grips with the fact that I may never step on a pole or tower again. I have worked safely for 21 years with no injuries and I am sidelined with a slip on ice.

Be careful out there guys, we keep our guard up doing what we do then we get off and forget about small things. Its not only the BIG things that take you out. This one "slip" may change the way I live for the rest of my life. Be careful.

Koga
01-07-2008, 05:31 PM
Sorry to hear that. I hope the lower back MRI comes out better for ya. I hope you have somethin lined out close to line work field. It would be hard to have to get out of it all together. Good luck and I'll put in a word or two for ya with the big guy.

Koga

BigClive
01-07-2008, 05:35 PM
No problem till I slipped in the parking lot of hotel, on ice. Came back from Dr and MRI's show 8 herniated discs. I haven't even got an MRI on my lower back yet, cant wait for what they find there. DR says career is over as far as the DOING end of things. I am trying to come to grips with the fact that I may never step on a pole or tower again. I have worked safely for 21 years with no injuries and I am sidelined with a slip on ice.


Good heavens! What did you land on?

Orgnizdlbr
01-07-2008, 06:26 PM
PK sorry to hear of your injury. Hope your next MRI is better news than the first. Good Luck bro!

thrasher
01-08-2008, 09:32 AM
Sorry to hear of your injury. Find a good doctor (ask around) and a good physical therapist. Hope your lower back MRI comes out okay. IF it turns out you can't climb (and I hope you can recover fully) you can consider moving to the "Dark Side" and become a supervisor for a utility. Most of the good utilities prefer to have line supervisors who were linemen (especially good linemen). Hoping for the best.

PK270
01-08-2008, 08:50 PM
Clive, I fell on asphalt (paving, I dont know what you guys call it) with an inch of ice on it so it was frozen pretty good. Low visibility so I never seen it, realized I fell when I was laying there.

Thrasher, funny thing is I was on the "dark side", pretty successful at it do to my experience as lineman. No one can understand why I would have left that position to work transmission. My explanation is like the bumper sticker " If you need to ask you wouldn't understand ". I'll recover physically, just hard to swallow the fact of never be on the "doing" side of things.

Thanks for the comments guys.

BigClive
01-09-2008, 12:45 PM
One of our guys fell on a steel gantry and damaged his back. He ended up as contracts manager and he's the best we've ever had in that position.

Yup. I know exactly why you shunned office work for a job on the tools. I've been offered a few seemingly good office based jobs in the past and declined them, because I just prefer to work on the tools. Maybe it's an image thing.

Alan Mac
01-10-2008, 01:49 AM
The company was offering jobs for linemen to become team leaders in the office. I told them where they could poke it. If the forced me into that hell hole I'd throw myself outta the window. Trouble is it's on the ground floor, I'd get a few bruises and be sent straight back inside. When we do go into the office, you can feel the eyes burning into the back of your head, people thinking "what are they doing in here". Most of the guys who went in are youngsters with little time in the trade, they're suffering. Many have been off with stress.

I'll stick with climbing steel for as long as possible. I reckon I've got the best office. A green carpet and a blue ceiling and no walls. OK, the roof leaks for half the year and the aircon is useless but I love it!

Mac

BigClive
01-10-2008, 02:41 PM
I think they're probably displeased that the dirty menials get more money than they do.

You forgot to mention the violent and uncontrollable fan in your office. It just went off here and caused some modest damage and power loss.

How's things been in Dorset storm wise Alan?

Alan Mac
01-11-2008, 02:23 AM
We've been lucky down here so far, just wind and rain. Some of the lads have gone up to Scotland to help out. They'll probably be back this weekend. Apparently the terms aren't too good. 1.5x after 6PM, everyone back in by 10PM. Most of the extra hours are going down as time off in lieu. Bastards.
I remember the hurricane we had in '87. We were starting at 6AM, finishing at 9PM and getting paid 1.5x from 6 til 8 and 5 til midnight. We were getting an out of pocket allowance of £20 a day, all meals provided and a few drinks in the hotel bar paid for.

How times have changed, they'll be asking us to pay them soon.

Mac

BigClive
01-11-2008, 11:58 AM
How times have changed, they'll be asking us to pay them soon.



Maybe they're trying to help UK linemen make up their mind to emigrate. Although, to be honest the grass doesn't look too green on the other side of the hill after all.

This is where a REAL union would be useful.

New career perhaps?