Pike Electric wired for tradgedy

[topgroove]

http://archive.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=3528 (http://archive.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=3528) is a must read... should be a sticky

[topgroove]

http://archive.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=3528

[rcdallas]

Reality hurts.

I like the picture of the apprentice wearing his sleeves and leather gloves.

CoServ now pike ?

[topgroove]

no I think coserv is a texas co-op. the rest of the article was about pike though.

[loodvig]

“He died on the pole. It took them 45 minutes to get his body down.”
It looks like they don't practice pool top rescue either! What a waste of life!

[T-Man]

Sad story, Not being mean but there is a lot for the young ones on here to learn from a story like this. Don't let this mans death be a waste learn and be safe. This is serious business.

Take charge of the job if no one else will , get the clearance don't go by hear say.

Test to be sure it's de-energized.

Better tailboard or Job Briefing understand the job.

If you are not trainied or qualified to do the work don't be a hero and give it a try anyway.

Ride a bull if you want to be a cowboy. . .

Just because the forman says do it, it may not be the right thing to do. . . this foreman was not informed.

I didn't see where there was a ground man or someone to preform the rescue, 45 Min is too long as Loodvig said.

It's HOT if it aint grounded!

I'm sure there is more and expect the other older guys to add to it.

[topgroove]

the fact of the matter is pike is a killing machine. thet grap young men fresh out of school with very little hot training and in a few short months there in the primary working alone. pike underbids re-conductoring jobs and than pushes crews to get r done without the proper equipment ,training or manpower. when a young lineman gets killed they simpley pay to bury the guy $6,000 bucks and get a fresh body to replace him. Sure osha might fine the company a few dollars which in every case pike appeals and gets the fine reduced. how many more have to die. where is the outrage.

[Lineman North Florida]

Dressing these young guys up in rubber from head to toe is most of these companies answer to this problem or so they think, as has been shown that does'nt get it either, if there is one thing that I hope these young guys will take away from this thread is if you go to work for a company that does'nt teach Test, Tag,and ground, quit while you still can, things have gotten tricky and you can't take nothing for granted, your life depends on it.

[topgroove]

Just wait till these rookies expierence auto reclosing loop schemes with feeder tie reclosers. That'll thin the herd out!

[topgroove]

Worker fatally shocked in Perry County

GLENFORD, OH — A 22-year-old Pike Electrical Contractors employee died as a result of shock (http://zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/UPDATES01/70710007/1002/NEWS01) Monday, according to the Perry County Sheriff’s Office. Christopher Hall of Logan was working with a Pike Electrical crew replacing poles in the area of 13675 Sand Rock Road when he received an accidental shock. The sheriff’s office was notified of the incident after receiving a call from the South Central Power Company, referencing a subject who had sustained a severe electrical shock. Glenford Fire/EMS were also dispatched to the scene. The incident is being investigated by the sheriff’s office, safety officers from South Central Power Company, Pike Electric and investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

[timber hitch]

Mr Grove, I See That You Have Mastered The Copy And Paste Functions Pretty Well. I Also Have Been Doing Some Digging And Over The next Little Bit I Will Make Some Posts Just For You. You See I Have Found A Web Site That Talks About All Accidents And I Will Be Posting Them All. Including The Facts That On Average There Are 50 Fatalities And 100 Major Burns Within The Brother Hood Per Year Costing Approx. 100 Million Dollars. Thanks Again For Posting
Timber

[topgroove]

oh now your back to timber hitch... what happened to your IBEW? user name. What did your boss at Pike tell you to do something quick. Maybe the FPL deal isn't a done deal after all. I see Pike stock is on the slide. Are the suits getting nervous? Go ahead post every accident you can find on the IBEW side. Maybe the young guys can learn something! Only working union we take care of our injured brothers not like pike who only pays to bury them.BTW your no lineman I doubt You ever were. You wouldn't last one shift in my world bitch!

[Sherlin]

I worked for Floyd S. Pike when it was still a good company that cared about their employee's. That was 10 years ago. Pike Electric is not the same company. When they buy out a small directional boring company and make the son of the previous owner a manager of overhead crews, what do you think is going to happen to safety when he is a complete idiot. You know who I am talking about Gene

[timber hitch]

A National Grid worker was arrested for drinking while driving after he was observed driving a company van erratically in the village of Palatine Bridge yesterday, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office announced today.
According to sheriff's office, a witness saw a National Grid van leave its lane while traveling on East Grand St., cross into the oncoming lane and hit the curb, causing the tire on the vehicle to pop.
The vehicle then continued over the curb on to a lawn before the driver backed on to the pavement into the correct lane of travel before stopping on the shoulder of the road, the sheriff's office said.
Responding officers detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on the driver, identified as 50-year-old Thomas Ott of Amsterdam, said the sheriff's office.
After failing field sobriety tests, Ott was placed in police custody; he refused to take a breath exam to determine his blood alcohol level, said the sheriff's office.
Ott was processed and arraigned in the Town of Palatine Court. He's expected to return to court today for further proceedings.
Ott has been charged with driving while intoxicated; refusal to submit to a breath test; failure to keep right; moving unsafely from lane; failure to use designated lane; consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle; driving on a sidewalk; and unsafe tire.
National Grid declined to comment on Ott's arrest, citing company policy. "We are aware of the arrest and it is the subject of an ongoing internal investigation," a spokesperson
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


Cherokee Utility Worker Killed

Tuesday, 04 December, 2007 07:59 AM

(Cherokee, IA)--Authorities in Cherokee County have released the name of a man killed in a power pole collapse on Friday.

Sheriff's officers say 54 year old Randall Morris was killed in the accident. The power pole he was working on snapped and caused a guy wire to pin him against a boom truck basket.

Morris is from Nichols, Iowa. The Iowa Department of Labor is investigating.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.





An employee of Totowa-based JBL Electric plummeted from an electric tower to his death as he worked in Bridgewater on Wednesday afternoon.

Arthur Crane, a 45-year-old Stanhope resident and an electrical lineman, had been repairing the footings of a high tension tower on Milltown Road that is owned by Public Service Electric and Gas. As he climbed the tower around noon on Wednesday, he slipped and fell about 80 feet to the ground.


One of Crane's two co-workers immediately called 911 via cell phone, and four members of the Bridgewater Police responded to the call.

They were joined by members of the Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad and a Mobile Intensive Care Unit from Somerset Medical Center. A physician from the hospital pronounced him dead at 12:19 p.m. at the scene, and his body was transported to the New Jersey State Medical Examiner's office.

No prior incidents had ever occurred at the tower, said Bridgewater police Sgt. Richard Hollender.

Crane had two daughters and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

His uncle, Robert Crane, of Andover, reported that Crane's father was flying up from his home in Florida.

"We really don't know too much yet. We don't know about the arrangement," he said.

Dave Fiore, a business agent with IBEW Local 102 in Parsippany, confirmed that workers are harnessed while working on outdoor towers but must remove the safety equipment when moving from one level to another.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted and an investigation is pending.

Calls to JBL Electric in Totowa were not returned.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



According to a preliminary report they were in an 83' material handler Altec Bucket truck getting ready to set the second piece of a 90' weathering pole. One 34.5kv circuit was hot and the other 34.5kv side was dead, with a static on top. The static was moved to the hot side to avoid hard contact while setting the second piece of the structure. After that, reports get sketchy on what really happened. We think he was moving/or just started to move the bucket when everything went to s*#!& real quick. With out any official report yet everything is just speculation. But it appears that contact was made while the JL was operating the bucket and the left hand was contacting the static at the same time. The boom lock mechanism ( located about 5+' behind and under the upper boom) had a burn mark on it where possible contact was made. It is my understanding that the energized 34.5KV was heavily loaded and there was a light wind blowing also. So many questions, so little details. Again until the official report comes out the rest is speculation. As for an update on Phil's condition he is on and off kidney dialysis and they had to remove his left hand because of all the damage done. He has good days and bad days and still has a very, very long road to recovery.



Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.




PG&E worker dies on job near Cool

12:01 a.m. PT Jan 12, 2008
PG&E said one of its workers died Friday near the Georgetown-Cool area while doing storm response work.

The incident occurred between 1 and 2:30 p.m., said Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokeswoman Jennifer Ramp.

PG&E asked its crews to stop working in the area after the accident occurred, she said.

Ramp could not confirm the name and age of the deceased person or say where he was from.

But another PG&E worker, who contacted The Union about the incident, said the man was 28 years old.

"We are a close-knit group," Ramp said. "This news will have a significant emotional impact.

"This is a horrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers go out to our employee's family, coworkers and friends during this difficult time."

COOL, Calif. -- A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. lineman was killed Friday in El Dorado County.
The lineman was electrocuted at about 1:37 p.m. and fell off a line near Cool, PG&E's Jennifer Ramp said.
He was doing storm repairs on a line near Highway 193 and Penobscot Road, Ramp said.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.






By Canadian Occupational Health & Safety News
OHS Canada, Canada - Jan 22, 2008
WANHAM, Alta (Canadian OH&S News) -- An Alberta electrical worker remains in hospital after he received an electrical shock while working on an overhead power line.

At approximately 4:50 pm on January 4, the employee of Edmonton-based ATCO Electric Ltd was working alone in the village of Wanham, about 90 kilometres northeast of Grand Prairie, Alberta. While attempting to remove a pair of shoes that had been hung on an overhead power line, the worker received an electric shock which resulted in burn injuries, says Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry spokesman Barrie Harrison. The 28-year-old worker was airlifted to Grand Prairie, Harrison says, and then transferred to an Edmonton hospital for treatment.

Following the accident, ATCO Electric was issued one order: to investigate and determine the cause of the accident, Harrison says, adding that power was disrupted to the village until about 7 pm.

Such an accident scenario, however, is not that uncommon, says ATCO Electric spokesman Kris Sakowsky.

"It's certainly something we observe on a regular basis and something our workers have to contend with," Sakowsky says, adding that workers sometimes have to remove fishing line from electrical lines. "It's amazing what you see hooked up into the power lines these days."

Although Sakowsky calls the incident "an opportunity for learning," he says that it's still too early to consider any changes to safety procedures at the company. ATCO Electric is currently conducting its own investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

The company — which services northern and east-central Alberta — also has staff regularly visiting elementary schools throughout the province to give students "live hazard displays" warning about dangers associated with power lines, Sakowsky says

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.




Man Hurt, Power Out In Natick Electrical Accident
NATICK (WBZ) ― An NStar employee was seriously hurt Tuesday during an electrical accident in Natick.

The 41-year-old man suffered second and third degree electrical burn injuries to his neck, ear and left shoulder area.

The unidentified NStar employee was working in the rear of the Cloverleaf Apartment Complex at the time of the accident. Officials say crews were in the process of "tying in the main power source" to the apartment at the time.

Witnesses say the victim was working in a bucket truck and then there was a flash.

Other employees quickly applied medication from a burn unit and called 911. The man was able to walk to the ambulance once it arrived.

So far there is no word on his name or condition.

The accident knocked out power to the area for about 30 minutes.

Not Friday but Sunday and Philly Suburb-

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-03112008-1501483.html

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


.

[timber hitch]

A weekend storm that brought nearly 2 inches of rain and high-powered winds to the area has been blamed for at least one death.

Timothy Edwards, a Metropolitan-Edison utility worker from Easton, was electrocuted Sunday night as he tried to repair downed power lines along Lehnenberg Road just west of Route 611 in Durham. At around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Edwards was injured and airlifted to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, according to state police at the Dublin barracks. He was pronounced dead an hour later.

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim performed an autopsy Monday morning and issued a press release, stating: “The cause of death is attributed to electrocution. I ruled the manner of death (an) accident.”

Edwards, 43, had been a line worker for Met-Ed for the past six years, and previously worked for General Public Utilities. GPU was acquired by First Energy, a Reading company, in November 2001, and owns Met-Ed.

Scott Surgeoner, spokesman for First Energy, declined to reveal details of exactly what happened, except to say that he assumed Edwards was not alone and that he had been working with a Met-Ed crew.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

One of our boom trucks got into 13.2 KV not much info yet but the pictures tell the story fairly well. oops. thank God no one was killed:eek:

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



Brother Brent Mell was involved. 7th step apprentice.

No exit wound was found, so assumed to be all flash burns. 3rd degree burns on face, stomach and side. 1st and 2nd degree on face, shoulder, and elsewhere. All grafting is complete and he is doing

fairly well all things considered, may even be released soon.

At time of incident, he was in the bucket between 2 phases of the the 13.8 reaching up to attach a jumper. Line was rubbered up, switches on pole were not. Don't know how the arc started, but it engulfed him, slumped in the bucket and he got hung up on either a switch or the crossarm. Another APPRENTICE:mad: in the other bucket had to maneuver all the way around the pole to reach him, cut him loose and the J/L on the ground:mad: brought him down with the lower controls.

When they got him on the ground, apparently his FR shirt was on fire. :confused: Put him out and first responders were there within minutes. Transported to University of Wisconsin Hospital burn center and received excellent care.

This is about the extent of what I know, other than there were 2 Apes working in the energized primary zone. VERY clear violation of the contract, which requires a J/L in the air for all energized work above 600V. This was done with knowledge of and condonement of the J/L and the Foreman on the crew. Apes are also at fault, but why the f**k are the J/L's allowing this?

And the newspaper is only half right about the four man crew. Yes, it was a 4-man crew of 2 Apes, a J/L and a Foreman, but the Foreman wasn't even there, as he had gotten called away for a random piss test.

When does it stop? And why are we doing it to ourselves? Does anyone even care anymore about following the simplest, most basic safety rules, contractual language, and common sense?

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


Utility worker electrocuted, dies
Susan Jacobson | Sentinel Staff Writer
7:27 PM EDT, July 9, 2008
A man working on power lines was electrocuted Wednesday when he accidentally touched live equipment, Port Orange police said.

The East Coast Utilities worker was in a bucket truck, transferring power lines to concrete power poles, when he contacted live equipment at the top of the poles about 4:35 p.m., police said. His co-workers tried to resuscitate him, and rescue workers took him to Halifax Health Medical Center.

But the man, whose name was not released because his family had not been notified, was pronounced dead about 5:10 p.m.

Power in the area temporarily went out when the man touched the equipment.



Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

HAVERHILL — A man working for an electrical company is in critical condition after receiving a shock from power wires on Boardman Street, police said.

They said the man is in Merrimack Valley Hospital, about a half-mile from where the accident occurred. They are not releasing the man's identity, saying only that he is in his 50s and lives in Massachusetts.

He is employed by Harlan, a firm doing subcontracting work for National Grid, police said.

Sgt. John Arahovites said the man was in a bucket that lifted him to overhead power lines when he received the shock just after 12:30 p.m. Monday at a utility pole on Boardman Street. Arahovites said a fellow worker was on the ground and noticed the victim was motionless in the bucket. It is unclear whether the victim suffered a medical problem, such as a heart attack, and then leaned against the power wires or came into contact with them some other way, Arahovites said.

"They noticed he was erect but motionless," he said of the victim. "They yelled to him but he was unresponsive."

Workers lowered the bucket, Arahovites said, and officers Jason Pearl and Penny Portalla, who were working private traffic details at the site, began doing CPR on the victim. Officer Lance Dawkins and Lt. Anthony Haugh, who were also nearby, arrived and tried to help with CPR.

A nurse from nearby Baker-Katz Nursing Home ran to the victim and used a defibrillator — a device that jolts the heart with electric current to restore a heartbeat, Arahovites said. The man was rushed to Merrimack Valley Hospital, where he remains.

"He's still in critical condition," Arahovites said last night.

Arahovites said Detective Jack Moses and officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.

The victim came into contact with the wires at a utility pole just south of the nursing home. National Grid is replacing utility poles in the area.

Rhoda McCartney, who lives on nearby Keeley Street, and her husband, Paul, were driving on Boardman Street when the accident occurred. She said police working the traffic detail around the electrical company workers stopped her car briefly to let other vehicles pass. She and her husband looked up at the bucket and saw the victim receive the shock from the power lines, she said.

"We saw the guy slump in the bucket," she said. "His body jerked. He was hanging half off the bucket and half in. They were yelling, 'Get him out. Get him out.' They were calling his name and he was not responding."

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



A apprentice was killed 2 days ago in kansas they were setting a pole under a 115kv line when the pole made contact with the 115 and killed 1 apprentice and burned a journeyman and another apprentice both where mediflighted and are in bad condition thats all i know right now i will find out more next week
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

[timber hitch]

Mid American Energy Employee Was Electrocuted yesterday and one of his co workers were burnt severely. The other worker is stable condition. The reports coming out is that the individual that was killed was climbing down on a ladder off a transformer and grabbed one of the wires or buss that was energized and was electrocuted. The fault current then traveled down the ladder where the co worker was and burnt him. Here is a couple of link.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


IN THE SHADOWS
08-27-2008, 05:17 AM
One man was killed and a second severely injured this morning when they were shocked while working on a backyard power pole in Salt Lake County.
The survivor, Fatu Matagi, 28, of Salt Lake City, was conscious and talking when he was flown in critical condition to the University of Utah burn unit with electrical shock injuries to his arms and legs, according to Unified Fire Authority spokesman Jay Fearnley.
Stephen G. Vlamakis, 26, of Helper, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 11:43 a.m. accident left the two men dangling from a transformer and power lines about 15 to 20 feet above ground, Fearnley said.
By the time fire crews arrived, a third worker had already rigged rescue lines and was attempting to help the victims, Fearnley said. It took about 45 minutes to free the two men and get them to the ground, Fearnley said.
The victims work for Mountain Power, a subcontractor to Rocky Mountain Power. They were performing routine maintenance on a pole located in a backyard near 4100 South and 1400 East.

Our hearts go out to the families. No details as to cause yet
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



GOT WORD, THAT 2 OG&E HANDS WERE BURNED IN LOUISIAN, DOING RESTORATION WORK.................

THEY WERE WORKING ON A LATERAL, BEHIND AND OPEN SWITCH, NO GROUNDS, NO HOLD CARDS, NO FLAGGING.............DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT ANOTHER GROUP OF OG&E HANDS CAME BY, FOUND THE SWITCH OPEN AND TRIED IT...IT WAS IN A RURAL AREA, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEIR CO-WORKERS WERE DOWN THERE!!!!!:mad:

ONE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED THAT DAY...THE OTHER TREATED AND RELEASED THE NEXT DAY....BOTH WILL MAKE IT........

DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT AS SOON AS I FIND OUT WHAT I CAN..........................

THIS JUST DON'T MAKE SENSE TO ME...OUT OF TOWN...STORM WORK...UNFAMILIAR AREA...1000'S OF OTHER HANDS WORKING THERE....AND NO GROUNDS


I GUESS STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.....................

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.




Looks like it has been a difficult week for accidents.

A worker killed Tuesday afternoon while attempting to restore electrical service in Delaware Township has been identified as a 43-year-old employee of New Jersey Central Power & Light.


Pennsylvania State Police said Robert Lempke, of Columbia, N.J., was electrocuted about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday when he stepped on a live wire in Delaware Township.

Lempke, a supervisor in regional operations for the utility, was working on Pew Road near Route 58 when he was electrocuted, Mercer County 911 said. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at UPMC Horizon, Greenville, said J. Bradley McGonigle III, Mercer County coroner.

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokesman said the accident appeared to be an electrocution and that an agency inspector was on site conducting an investigation. OSHA has up to six months to report its findings on an investigation.

FirstEnergy Corp. owns New Jersey Central Power, based in Red Bank, N.J.. Repair crews were called in from that utility to aid FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania Power Co. affiliate restore power to more than 80,000 customers in Mercer, Lawrence, Crawford, Butler and Allegheny counties that was knocked out by a violent, widespread wind storm Sunday.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and co-workers,’’ FirstEnergy spokesman Ron Morano Morano said. “In light of the tragedy we will be holding a meeting among our employees to reiterate the importance of safety.”

The company was assisting state police and the OSHA in the investigation, Morano said, and that the company also was conducting its own investigation.

Lempke is the second FirstEnergy employee to be killed this year on the job, a company spokesman said. On March 9 a 43-year-old lineman died after he was electrocuted while working to restore power after a windstorm near Easton, Pa

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


On Friday September 19th Phil Jarvis, a BARC Lineman and 12 year employee, came into contact with a line carrying 7200 volts and was seriously injured. He was flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital after being tended to by the Dunlap Volunteer Rescue Squad. After approximately two hours of surgery in Roanoke he was flown to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond where they removed his left leg just above the knee. Several more hours of surgery took place. He has multiple burns across his body including his back, neck and right leg.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=32059
October 23, 2008

Newfoundland Power says it's a sad day for the company as they mark the loss of one of their workers. RCMP say a 30-year old Clarenville area man was electrocuted yesterday afternoon while working on power lines near the Princeton Pond area on the Bonavista Peninsula. Company spokesman Bob Pike says the crew was getting ready to make repairs to fix an outage brought on by Tuesday night's wind and rain storm. Newfoundland Power's internal safety experts, Occupational Health and Safety and the RCMP are investigating. Pike says it would be speculation to talk about a possible cause of the accident at this point. Pike says all three parties are working together in the investigation trying to draw some conclusions. He says they will have to wait for the outcome of the investigation to determine if vandalism was involved.

RCMP Sergeant Wayne Newell says they are examining six shattered insulators that were suspended from the wooden poles. He says their Forensic Identification Specialists are reconstructing the damaged discs to see if there was any damage done to them intentionally or whether it was arcing from electricity going through them. Newell says they are also looking to see if a snow squall occurred and contributed to the incident. He says the man was outside the truck standing on the ground. A couple of workers were there as well and the 30-year old was the unfortunate victim.

Pike says safety is their number one priority. He says it's a difficult time and they are providing support to the man's family and employees.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

[timber hitch]

WHITEFISH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - State police say a power company worker apparently was electrocuted in a work accident in the Upper Peninsula.

It happened in Chippewa County's Whitefish Township, about 110 miles east of Marquette.

State police say 57-year-old Cloverland Electric Co. worker Curtis Knierim of Newberry was reported missing Monday night, and searchers found his body at a job site.

The Mining Journal of Marquette says Knierim was a former member of the Newberry village council.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



ov. 10, 2008 02:33 PM
The Arizona Republic
An SRP lineman was electrocuted Monday morning when he came in contact with live power lines in northeast Mesa.

The lineman, who has not been identified, died at the scene.

Scott Harelson, a spokesman for Salt River Project, said the worker was doing routine maintenance on a 12,000-volt power line up on a mountainside that serves cell phone and radio towers, among other things, when the incident occurred about 10 a.m.

Power was knocked out in the surrounding area when the incident happened, but it has been restored to most locations.

The incident occurred near Hawes Road and Diamond Point, at the foot of the Usury Mountains.

Harelson said such accidents are rare with SRP workers and fatalities are "extremely rare."


Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



Nov 22, 2008 1:10 pm US/Pacific

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― A Los Angeles Department of Water and Power lineman was burned Saturday when electrical power flashed over from a transformer on a pole in the downtown area, a DWP official said.

The DWP employee, who was not identified, was up on a pole Saturday morning working on an electrical transformer when he was burned, said DWP spokesman Joe Ramallo.

The injured man was taken to White Memorial Medical Center because his abdomen was burned, Ramallo said, but the degree of burn and the man's condition were not known.

Ramallo said a flashover is an unintended discharge of high voltage power that can cause s Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.
pontaneous combustion.





NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- United Illuminated officials said 3,100 customers were without power after a transformer being worked on by an employee blew.

Company officials said the incident took place at about 11 a.m. They said the employee was working on the transformer in the area of Whalley Avenue and Broadway when it blew up in the worker’s face.

They said the worker was conducting routine maintenance when it blew near Popeye's.

Customers and employees inside the restaurant said they heard a big boom, then the power went out. They said they saw the man come down from where he was working with burns on his face.

Witness Gary Burns said he saw the arc of electricity explode in the worker's face.

"He finally came down," he said. "He started jumping in a circle and looking at his face in the mirror."

“Well, everything went out for about three seconds,” witness Ronald Davis, of Florida, said. “I was kind of concerned because he didn't look so good.”

Officials said they worker was rushed to a local burn center with non-life-threatening injuries.

"We're looking into the circumstances," UI Communication Specialist Ed Crowder said. "It's a dangerous job."

Other UI crews on the scene worked Monday afternoon to restore power to the neighborhood.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



Solvay lineman electrocuted
Staff Reports 12/18/08

A Solvay Electric Department lineman was electrocuted Thursday while working on a power line in Geddes.

Marc Mallaro, 48, of Syracuse was in the bucket of a utility truck installing a new service line on Dwight Drive when contact was made with the primary line, Onondaga County sheriff's department said in a release Thursday afternoon. Geddes police and sheriff's deputies responded to the scene at approximately 12:08 p.m.

The crew working with Mallaro immediately lowered the bucket and began performing CPR while EMS responded to the accident. Mallaro was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital a short time later.

The accident is under investigation by the New York State Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



FPL worker is electrocuted after lines were upgraded in Fort Lauderdale
Worker suffered fatal shock after lines were upgraded at a bank in Fort Lauderdale

February 16, 2009
Fort Lauderdale - A utility crew member was killed while working on power lines Sunday morning, police and company officials said.

Junior Seaton, 37, was in a Florida Power & Light Co. crew upgrading lines and poles at the Washington Mutual bank branch in the 600 block of East Broward Boulevard, said police spokeswoman Detective Yvette Martinez.

The crew had finished its work and restored power to the lines, but Seaton remained in his bucket and hoisted himself back toward the charged lines about 5:30 a.m. That's when he received the deadly electric shock.

Paramedics took Seaton, of Pembroke Pines, to Broward General Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives have not yet determined why Seaton returned to the charged lines, Martinez said.

"We are very, very sad about the death of an employee, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family," said FPL spokeswoman Sarah Marmion.

"Safety is our first priority at all times and we will conduct a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances involved in this accident."

Seaton's relatives could not be reached Sunday, despite calls to listed phone numbers and visits to two recent addresses in Pembroke Pines.

Crews often work on planned power outages in commercial areas at night, to avoid interrupting businesses' daytime operations, Marmion said.

Seaton's death was the fourth on jobs involving FPL utility workers in South Florida since 2003, according to Sun Sentinel archives

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


Mar 24, 2009
Early Tuesday morning, a 36-year-old Pacific Gas and Electric Co. worker from Tracy died after a fall from a utility pole in the town of Firebaugh, near Madera.

Tracy resident Peter Tololi, who was part of a crew installing new poles and working on power lines, fell more than 40 feet, according to Madera County Sheriff’s Department public information officer Erica Stuart.

Stuart said that the department received a call at 9:15 a.m. that Tololi had fallen. He was in a rural area, working on Road 6 between avenues 7½ and 8½.

California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident, Stuart said
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

[timber hitch]

Mar 24, 2009
Early Tuesday morning, a 36-year-old Pacific Gas and Electric Co. worker from Tracy died after a fall from a utility pole in the town of Firebaugh, near Madera.

Tracy resident Peter Tololi, who was part of a crew installing new poles and working on power lines, fell more than 40 feet, according to Madera County Sheriff’s Department public information officer Erica Stuart.

Stuart said that the department received a call at 9:15 a.m. that Tololi had fallen. He was in a rural area, working on Road 6 between avenues 7½ and 8½.

California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident, Stuart said
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.





05.07.09

While working with his Georgia Power crew at Plant Share, near Lake Juliette, local resident Steve Powers was critically injured last Wednesday. Powers, 32, sustained serious electrical burns, resulting in the loss of his entire left arm, up into his left shoulder.

Powers was exposed to a live power line during work at the plant. Expecting the line to be dead, Powers, who was born and raised in Thomaston, reached unknowingly to a line that was not turned off. He was severely burned along his lower neck, upper back, left arm and right hand.

The accident resulted in an immediate life-flight from the scene to Grady Memorial Hospital in downtown Atlanta. From there, Powers was flown to the Augusta Burn Center at Doctors Hospital where upon he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He will remain in ICU for several weeks, undergoing daily surgical procedures during the recovery process.

Because the injury was a very serious electrical burn, down into his left-side lung cage, Powers’ body tissue continues to die. The dead tissue, coupled with an infection, results in the need for daily tissue removal. Doctors are working to stop this process - replacing tissue to promote new healthy growth.

A portion of skin that was left unburned around his shoulder was used to close the left arm site and skin graphing from cadaver tissue was used to promote healthy tissue regeneration on his fingers and neck as well.

The injury site on Powers’ neck is complicated as well as the wound is approximately eight inches long, to the bone, from the bottom of his neckline to the middle of his shoulders.

Powers’ doctors are hopeful, according to his wife Sandy, that the graphs will begin to regenerate healthy tissue growth and the removal of dead tissue will soon put him on a recovery out of the ICU.

Mrs. Powers, who was also born and raised here, is employed at Upson Lee South Elementary. The two have three children, Ansley, Makenzie and Kade. Powers is the son of Thomaston locals Debbie and Phil Powers.

Mrs. Powers has four visits a day with her husband while he remains in ICU. "He's in pain and on a lot of medication," she explained. "We're very hopeful, though."

Sandy continued, "We both cannot believe how good everyone has been to us. We are both just astounded. The family would like to thank everyone for their constant prayers and support."

"And we are very grateful to be here at this burn center. It's wonderful,” she added.

Friends of the Powers family have established an account at West Central Georgia Bank for anyone wishing to make donations to help them during this difficult time

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.



2008 First Energy had two deaths. 1 very experience lineman, 1 foreman both working storm about 6 months apart.

Two employees either going home or coming back on storm work died in motor vehicle accidents. 1 Met Ed 1 JCPL

2 JCP&L shore area manhole explosion salt corrosion.

1 JCP&L contact on primary riser pole.

1 JCP&L fell into pad transformer electrocution.

1 JCP&L into open wire secondaries.

2 got lucky, elbow broke on bucket dumped lineman out of safety belts during a conversion at the shore. 1 hit diamond plate step with his head on the way down and other hit his face on the telco lines both damaged for life.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


Roosevelt alum was electrocuted on job
• June 16, 2009

A Roosevelt High School graduate is recovering in a Nebraska hospital after burns suffered in an on-the-job accident last month led to the amputation of both of his arms.

Power lineman Brady Murphy, 22, of Sioux Falls, was electrocuted May 27 while on the job near Onawa, Iowa. Both of Murphy's arms have since been amputated and he also suffered facial burns from the accident.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.


The Associated Press
Posted: Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2009
MACEDONIA, S.C. A South Carolina electric utility worker has died after he was electrocuted while working on a power line.

Multiple media outlets reported that 25-year-old Jeremy Thomas of Moncks Coroner was electrocuted late Tuesday morning while working on a high-voltage power line near Macedonia.

Berkeley County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Salisbury says the Santee Cooper lineman was working on the line on U.S. Highway 17A about five miles north of Moncks Corner when he was shocked.

Salisbury says Thomas collapsed in his work bucket, which was extended above ground. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.




On Tuesday, July 14, 2009, Journeyman Lineman Gary Anderson was working on a dock crew in Pendleton, Oregon. They were loading poles on a pole trailer when one of the poles rolled off the trailer onto Gary. He was life-flighted to the OSHU in Portland. The investigation of the accident is still under way, so information is limited.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.





NORTH HANOVER - A Jersey Central Power & Light employee who was badly burned last week in an explosion at a utility substation has died, officials said.

Timothy Utzat, 38, of Toms River, Ocean County, died Sunday night at the burn center at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.

Utzat had been undergoing treatment for severe burns he sustained to more than 80 percent of his body during an electrical explosion Aug. 10 at the substation on Cookstown-New Egypt Road.

Utzat and his wife, Mary Jane, were active members of Families of SMA, an international advocacy and support group for families with children or loved ones suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.

The Utzats created a care-package program for the organization in 2007 after their daughter, Samantha Jane, died of the degenerative disease two days before her first birthday. The care packages include light toys ideal for children with spinal muscular atrophy.

Mary Jane Utzat is pregnant and expected to deliver a baby girl this month, according to a statement provided by Families of SMA.

Police have said that Utzat was among a group of employees performing routine maintenance at the substation and that the explosion appeared to have occurred when he tried to work on a live circuit breaker.

No other workers at the substation were injured in the incident. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, police said.

The Aug. 10 explosion caused about 19,000 customers in North Hanover, New Hanover, Springfield, Pemberton Township and Plumsted, Ocean County, to lose power for more than an hour.

Donations to the Utzat family can be made through the Families of SMA Web site, www.fsma.org.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.





Heard a 4th step ape working for DUSI in San Diego got hung up in the 4kv and it was fatal,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I cant say anything else I wasn't there, just heard at the DUSI safety meeting this morning. A few guys at our show up knew him.
Pray'n it was instant! Hope you all pray for his family!

May your hooks be sharp, and your poles soft , on that big job in the sky! RIP Kid,,,,, E.




Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

[topgroove]

thanks timber bitch for comparing the statistics. From the data we can extrapulate that Pike Electric is killing workers with laser precission. you have to add up all the fatalities from utilites and contractors in two countries just to get close to the numbers that Pike Electric puts out. I hope the suits at Pike don't see your post. they'll realize what an incompetent dueche bag they hired as a PR man.

[MI-Lineman]

I think the point is Pike KNOWINGLY puts employees in harms way! Some of Hitch's accident reports don't have all the facts in them yet? Usually a Pike incident involves a newly hired employee doing a task meant for a more experienced employee. Usually a Union hand getting hurt that doesn't involve defective equipment made an error on his part (the human factor). I would never agree Union hands are safer than rat hands all the time(WE'RE ALL STILL HUMAN) BUT THE UNION BODY ITSELF WILL NEVER CONDONE VIOLATING A SAFETY RULE TO GET A JOB DONE AND WILL ALWAYS BACK A "BROTHER" ON A LEGIT SAFETY CONCERN!!

I've worked both sides of the fence and I know as a rat you have no one to back you when it comes to safety! I also worked in a Union town on an outdated system where the Union itself would tell us every year when there wasn't a fatality that "Some ones going to get hurt or killed". It used to be a fact we would loose one or two Lineman a year! The Union itself was ALWAYS ADAMANT about its members following the rules IT FOUGHT TO BE IN PLACE so not to loose anyone! Again though, you can't forget the Human factor! We all make the wrong decision once and a while!

This is NOT a Union/rat thing! It's about a company who even former employees have posted has a DEPLORABLE safety record!!

I only hope that you, Timber, are as passionate against violating ANY safety rule a much as you are passionate against Unions!

[IBEW?]

[QUOTE=topgroove;73514]thanks timber bitch for comparing the statistics.


i really like that you seem to think that I and Timberhitch are the same. so no I didn't change my username. you seem to be fixated again, your comment really does show that you have more time than brains. we are talking about LIVES here you idiot not just numbers. look back and count the number of lives lost. it does not matter where they worked but that they did not go home. your defense to these numbers is that they were from different companies or countries, i feel sorry for you in that you seem to have lost the focus on safety and turned this into a vendetta. oh well,
try to remember that the person flinging mud gets muddy too.


stay safe

[timber hitch]

MI-Lineman
i have to agree with you that this is not a union or non union issue. and just to let you know i don't work for Pike and i don't hate the union. i do on the otherhand get tired of union radicals saying accidents only happen to non-union contractors. there is enough information on this site alone to back this up. i also agree with you comment on feeding horses, from looking at the posts made by top-smooth he must make at least 4 trips to the barn a day.

[topgroove]

Lets see you post as IBEW? at 8:07 and than at 8:13 you post as timber hitch Both usernames have a join date DEC. 09 both are pro pike. You are a liar and an imposter. You turned this into a Union non-union thing. There's plenty of non-union hands on this board, funny thing is none of them have anything good to say about Pike Electric

[topgroove]

A Pike crew was pulling a pole yesterday when one of their employees was injured. As was told to me, the cable sling was put on the pole too low. The pole came out pretty easy and when the butt of the pole was about 2' off the ground, the groundman informed the operator to open the pole claws. When the claws were opened, the pole was actually top heavy and came down on top of the groundhand. The way I understand it is that the pole fell across his shoulder, breaking it, and knocking the man to the ground, where he also recieved 3 boken ribs and a punctured lung. As the top of the pole hit the ground, it bounced and the safety latch on the winch line hook broke. Then, out came the cable sling with the whole weight of the pole landing on the mans leg, between his knee and hip, crushing everything in that leg. I hear that he will go thru multiple surgeries. None of this has been confirmed yet.

We all should be plenty aware of the procedure to lower a pole that is already in the pole claws. Maybe some of us have not ever handled a pole in that kind of situation before or maybe we just go into plain ol' brain fade. Whatever the reason, when you have a pole standing straight up in the air and you want to release the pole claws from it, push the butt of the pole away from the truck, (i.e. pushing the top half of the pole against the tip of the boom) and see if you can hold it there without a whole lot of effort. If you can't, you better bet that some re-rigging is gonna be needed. If you can hold it there, keep it in that spot and let the operator open those claws slowly. After the claws are open, slowly back the butt of the pole towards the truck again until you have complete control of the butt from the ground. NEVER ASSUME!

[timber hitch]

mr. grove
maybe i have taken you the wrong way in our previous posts. This kind of information is what we all need. your explaination of how to avoid such incident could be helpful to some of the young men coming up in this trade. union or not. also i do walk in your shoes everyday, also we may have worked side by side. i usually hit national grid property ever year

[topgroove]

answer me this question... How many steps can a regulator raise or lower primary voltage.

[timber hitch]

only seen them go half way around!
16

[topgroove]

OK I'm wrong... you do know linework. I'm not a union radical and have nothing against non-union lineman. I do have a problem with them if they cross a picket line like Pike does. I have a big problem with companies that consistently puts apprentices in the primary alone. I've been a lineman for twentyone years and never have I or anyone I've worked with ever gotten hurt. I've seen plenty of crazy $hit over the years where the potential for injury was there. This last fatality at pike with Mr Vaughn was the straw that broke the camels back. Over the last ten years on this board we've seen fatality after fatality involving young apprentices at Pike. The killing has got to stop. Untill Eric Pike gets on this board and explains to all of us how he will stop the fatalities I will continue to blast Pike relentlessly.

[timber hitch]

i understand, i have the same agenda but mine is with all contractors and utilities. i am still young i have only been in the biz 16 short years i too have sen some nasty distasteful things come out of both sides. we really should be just one side in safety. the reason i usually bash the union side is because they give the most grief to the non-union guys. i work non-union and proud to say that every piece of food and every stich of my 3 childrens clothes has come from it. where i came up the only union jobs was AEP and they just now started hiring. and to be honest i seen more un-safe acts by there lineman than any non-union company. i personnally know the lineman in ohio that tried to change cutouts on cat bank in leathers well actually he had on black mechanic gloves. just today i seen Asplundh crew installing lighting arrestors on 4 kv with no cover, had primary pushed up with bare boom, had sleeves on with leathers gloves, and ground hand under him driving g rod with leathers, no road signs, and no flaggers

[Edge]

your both wrong...

and your both right...

32... 16 up 16 down usually between 8 and 10%

theres also auto boosters

they are regulators too...

they have 4 steps and only go up...

you guys wanna fight over petty shit... hey thats fine by me I do it too...

but come on there are apes reading this shit

for what it's worth...

Edge

[timber hitch]

thanks for the scolding edge

[topgroove]

Well I'm man enough to admitt when I'm wrong. I apolagize to you. you are correct Union hands commit safety violations everyday. To me safety is layers of protection. Its never just one safety rule thats broke and someone gets killed. When things go bad it happens in a heartbeat and in that instant there's not a damn thing you can do to stop it. Putting inexpierenced apprentices in the primary is a recepe for disaster.

[Edge]

no scolding intended bub...

regulators and cap's are prolly the most dangerous things we as Journeyman work on... don't want anyone getting any fugged up ideas...

carry on with your debate fellas sorry to jam you up...

Edge

[topgroove]

your both wrong...

and your both right...

32... 16 up 16 down usually between 8 and 10%

theres also auto boosters

they are regulators too...

they have 4 steps and only go up...

you guys wanna fight over petty shit... hey thats fine by me I do it too...

but come on there are apes reading this shit

for what it's worth...

EdgeI worded it that way for a reason Edge... At the time I didn't believe Timber Hitch was a Lineman. I stand corected.

[timber hitch]

i agree with you that inexperiance kills more than anything. i have some good friends that work over there and they say that is just in pockets. most of there areas won't even let a low man in the bucket by himself at all. i would like to say that even being non-union i have worked with some really good union hands that understood the situation of not being able to find union work. done it so long now i don't believe i could make the switch anyway.

[MI-Lineman]

no scolding intended bub...

regulators and cap's are prolly the most dangerous things we as Journeyman work on... don't want anyone getting any fugged up ideas...

carry on with your debate fellas sorry to jam you up...

Edge

Not to change the subject but I'd rather work on regs and cap banks any day than on autoboosters! Those damn things are always malfunctioning and the damn neutral lights always burned out!:eek: Our company HAD a policy of replacing bad ones with regs! Course lately they've tried changing their ways due to cost?:mad:

[Redbeard3261]

I think one proven suscessful means for preventing re-occurance of accidents is to gather all info and find a common denominator (re-occuring theme or cause) and begin in the obvious higher risk areas to reduce the incidents. If Pike has 25 high exposure incidents with a total of 1,000 employees in the field (not counting office personnel or non-hands on observers) then you would ascess them as 1/40 (similiar to a transformer ratio). If IBEW has 25 high exposure incidents with a sample pool of 100,000 employees in the field then you could grade them as 1/4000. So the obvious means of doing the greater good is the begin with the elimination of your highest risk group (1/40) and down the list to help your risk factor industry wide.
Of course an examination of causes of incidents might expose a common theme also as lack of training, lack of required barriers, or other common contributing factors. If these contributing factors seem to become more apperant within 1 risk group more dominantly than others then one would need to reach a conclusion that this risk group displays tendencies that are unproductive to preventing re-occurance. Then you must prevent this risk group from continuing to put employees in this environment which is counter productive to their safety. Then maybe our numbers industry wide will improve.
The strongest means to avoid re-occurance is to share all information with the workers in our industry (non-discrimantory of employer) to provide a better education of exposures and errors made. If we (all of us) do not learn from our history then we will be trapped in a "death loop" forever repeating past errors.

[climbsomemore]

A couple of years ago I spent some time on a UNION crew. It seems that some men will whore themselfs for a company pickup and a gas card.

The "foreman" and his running buddy, "lead" lineman were both under 27.

Number 3 and myself were both over 40 and 20+ years. Number 3 and myself were constantly berated by the 20 somethings about how old and slow we were. The twins were full of goofy shortcuts and were more than willing to put the whole crew in harms way. Every day produced some sort of show down...but #3 and me really resented "running a crew" and "training our foreman" while not getting paid for that.

Funny part is ... the GF who hired this kid as foreman would always come on out jobsites and rant at #3 and me (on the ground doing all the layout and heavy lifting) while the run and gun twins were up in the bucket doing the work... why? Because " #3 and me needed to show more 'leadership skills'"

Foreman kid was taking our crew truck home every day. Instead of filling up the fuel he would fuel the truck from the farm tank we had for our other feild equipment.

I cant tell you how many times me or #3 got our a&& chewed... caught at a gas station filling up all the tanks after the GF caught them out on the right of way with the truck gone.

Union shops usually dont have the extreme problems the rats do... but when we have a major accident it's rooted in the fact that some folks just should not be running crews. More and more Union shops allow GF's to hire a kid as foreman... and that GF will push that kid into situations were the experience isnt there to make good choices. Some GF's I know just don't like having a seasoned lineman working as forman because they get some push back on how to do things.

Some Locals or better than others... and some linehands "tramp" looking for a place to hide cause they cannot cut it in a Local were the hands take things seriously.

That GF was pretty upset when #3, 5,9 11 13, 15, 18 and 24 all drug up and waited for a better job to open up. I guess some people just don't get it do they?

[timber hitch]

to start with i agree we have to many young foreman that truly don't know whats going on.
i just want every one on the east side to be carefull, looks like we got a major snow coming at us

[Bull Dog]

Pick any Union company and compare it to Puke. Its a no brainier. I can't believe some of you guys are linemen and can't see this. Top Grove I think you give these guys too much credit. Puke dam near has as many fatalities over the last 20 years as all the union outfits combined. For sure they beat every union shop one on one. Get real they are killers of the worst kind. One is two many but more is worse. Get it?

[topgroove]

Pick any Union company and compare it to Puke. Its a no brainier. I can't believe some of you guys are linemen and can't see this. Top Grove I think you give these guys too much credit. Puke dam near has as many fatalities over the last 20 years as all the union outfits combined. For sure they beat every union shop one on one. Get real they are killers of the worst kind. One is two many but more is worse. Get it?I aggree with you... thats why I've been posting every Pike Electric accident I can find. Pike will not change and those of us who been around awhile are sick and tired of all the men Pike has killed. I will continue to trash Pike with a vengence.

[Redbeard3261]

I aggree with you... thats why I've been posting every Pike Electric accident I can find. Pike will not change and those of us who been around awhile are sick and tired of all the men Pike has killed. I will continue to trash Pike with a vengence.

You are on a great mission. Every company can have a mixture of good/bad people. Hopefully any Pike employess that may have the potential and desire to in a better environment will seek employment prior to the shipwreck they are on drag them to the bottom.

[topgroove]

Thank you Redbeard Please help me.... I can't do it alone.

[thrasher]

Topgroove:
One of the problems with Pike (and some other contractors) is that they have 20 year old Journeymen. Since Labor laws say you can't touch an energized wire (even at 120 volt level) until your 18 this means the contractor is shoving some kid thru to Journeyman level in 2 years or less. This represents Greed of the company to be able to bill more, and ignorance among the workers. The ignorance is thinking you can learn this trade well enough in less than two years to be the only person up a hot pole. The other problem is contractors don't seem to have any actual Safety Programs. They have a rule book that the employee signs he was issued but I have only rarely found a contractor that actually spends time and money training.

[topgroove]

True Thrasher... Now what can we do to stop Pike. We represent many Thousands

[Bull Dog]

You know I could walk into Puke and they would hire me in a NY minute. I am thinking though as soon as they found out, I wouldn't put production before safety, I would be gone as fast. I was trained safety first. I know puke uses that phrase. I have checked their web site. How ever words do not equal the reality. They talk it but from what people tell me its all talk. I wonder could a class action suit be brought for sending so many young men up to their deaths. Parents who have lost sons should look into this and hire a good legal team pool their money and give it a try. If they keep doing this same thing over and over you would think that constitutes a class. Anyone know if this has been tried?

[topgroove]

http://www.line-man.com/forums/style_images/23blackcry/spacer.gif
I received this email from a person who wishes to remain anomonous. It's pretty interesting.

QUOTE
I, as a 43y/o journeyman lineman just found your web site. I noticed an injury link so I just wanted to let you know about Pike Electrics injurys, this year alone or rather in the last 365 days. In the middle of last year A new class A lineman had to climb a pole in Greenville, Sc. As he climbed to the transformer (still energized) the stinger in the H-1 bushing broke out and hit him in the chest killing him. He was 21. deenergize first. Two months ago a Pike lineman climbed a pole to to rework it in an update process by Duke energy called retrofiting. He installed a new cutout on the pole and then energized it, just the top side. while working other things on this pole he had hung a lightning arrester on the top finger of the cutout. after doing some other things he removed his gloves and grabed the arrester which he forgot was on the energized cutout. His right arm was removed that day and two weeks later, on a sunday, his right leg was removed. He is 41, married 20 years and had three children. We just had another killed in Florida when he picked up an energized conductor from the ground back fed from a home generator. He too was 41. When will we learn. Please pass this on maybe to just save another life.

[blik]

Sure is alot of talk about Pike out there. My philosophy is if everyone you meet thinks your an ahole you may be an ahole.

[Stinger]

If you look at all the Pike injuries and fatalities, I just do not understand why J. Eric Pike is on the OSHA committie for electical construction safety. OSHA seems to think he is the cats me-oow. Talk about the fox guarding tghe chicken coop!!!

[west coast hand]

The problem is that pike will hire anybody right away the IBEW you have interviews and sometimes have to wait to get in the apprenticship that's what people don't understand the IBEW does not just take anybody now pike if you walk up right and have a heart beat they hand you a pair of rubber gloves and you will be in the primary in a week or two it sad but that's why the kill people how many will it take for OSHA to shut them down

[electric squirrel]

If you look at all the Pike injuries and fatalities, I just do not understand why J. Eric Pike is on the OSHA committie for electical construction safety. OSHA seems to think he is the cats me-oow. Talk about the fox guarding tghe chicken coop!!!

You don't think giving enough "donations" will get you on any safety committe you want?:cool:

[polerunner]

I can't help but feel lucky at the utility I work at. BC Hydro (British Columbia Canada) has taken the stance that if it's not safe don't do it. Those are the CEO's words. In the last year when we say its a rotten pole it's not safe we are having outages. I am talking 200-500 homes and business. If it has to be done on a sunday then thats when we do it. We all realized that this is what needs to be done. Yes we have had some bad ones up here but now realize this doesn't need to happen. God Bless all the families of injured and killed workers. YOU SHOULDN'T DIE AT WORK.

[climbsomemore]

Go to any Pro Bull Riders event... Pike will have an table in the vendor-trade show area...banners every place... and they do a 5 minute infomercial- come work for us bit during intermissions.

Were are they getting all that work?

I walk buy the table and flash a yellow ticket... the guys behind it KNOW what that paper is... you can see em puke in their mouth's a little when it registers.........

[southernindianalineman]

why dont somebody get pike in the union and then maybe all this shit will stop.

[BookII]

Go to any Pro Bull Riders event... Pike will have an table in the vendor-trade show area...banners every place... and they do a 5 minute infomercial- come work for us bit during intermissions.

Were are they getting all that work?

I walk buy the table and flash a yellow ticket... the guys behind it KNOW what that paper is... you can see em puke in their mouth's a little when it registers.........

Climbsomemore...I'm ROLMAO!!! Keep up the good work!:D

[unionhand]

when is osha gonna shut them down?

[topgroove]

pike has been fined many times by OSHA. I've spent hundreds of hours researching OSHA fines against pike. In each and every case the fine gets reduced to pennies on the dollar after appeal. Pike Electric headquarters is in North Carolina which runs its own OSHA. Pike contributes to the state labor secretary ( head of NC OSHA) boatloads of cash.

[WCLR]

Sad but very true. Eric Pike (who claims he "worked" his way up from groundman to lineman to where he is now:rolleyes:) gives a buttload to OSHA each year. They are not the only ones paid off either...

[WCLR]

Go to any Pro Bull Riders event... Pike will have an table in the vendor-trade show area...banners every place... and they do a 5 minute infomercial- come work for us bit during intermissions.

Were are they getting all that work?

I walk buy the table and flash a yellow ticket... the guys behind it KNOW what that paper is... you can see em puke in their mouth's a little when it registers.........

You notice they hit up shows that are line related they are treated like crap. They want to hire those that dont know any better.....Turn and burn and pay the family 150k to keep that 2 mill contract..

[topgroove]

isn't it sad at what we have become... from utilites buying labor secretarys and mining companies buying judges and every other industry in between engaging in unethical practices.

[Trbl639]

isn't it sad at what we have become... from utilites buying labor secretarys and mining companies buying judges and every other industry in between engaging in unethical practices.

Amen Top!!!

[WCLR]

isn't it sad at what we have become... from utilites buying labor secretarys and mining companies buying judges and every other industry in between engaging in unethical practices.

It is sad top. What is even worse is people that will defend a dump like Pike and other contractors and they all do the same.

And its not just contractors sadly. IOU's are doing the same. Like in the story, TXU dumped all their linecrews I think for contractors while the CEO got a 100 million dollar bonus.:eek:

Every company is going that route and eventually contractors will run the utility industry before its over. Companies that hire them dont have to pay for burnt up linemen and benefits, and they'll force retirement on the ones that work there and push them out so they wont have to pay anything.

[hotrod]

there's been 2 more people burnt and 1 killed. 5x over his load lifting a foundation pole boom snapped and slammed him into the controls then threw him to the ground lifeless.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

Was it with Pike? If so, not surprising...

Sad though.

[lineguyj82]

They get a decent groundman , he gets his CDLs learns how to climb a lil bit , and bingo hes running a crew for that extra dollar an hour if ur gf remembers to put in for ya, as long as the trucks are rolling out the gate there happy. Some of the lasts cuts they made with the (Christmas bonuses ) was to cut out safety men positions.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

I know alot of the RSI guys they cut out as well. Some were great hands in these parts. They also stripped alot of the a/c's out of the trucks that RSI had. Cant have anyone getting cool!

Just shows ya the largest is not always the best or worth the most..

[west coast hand]

I know alot of the RSI guys they cut out as well. Some were great hands in these parts. They also stripped alot of the a/c's out of the trucks that RSI had. Cant have anyone getting cool!

Just shows ya the largest is not always the best or worth the most..

OH now I see why alot of guys like them they take great care of there hands??? I seen pike on a ice storm making there guys sleep in tents and eat mre's...A tent on a ice storm fuk you i'll go home

[west coast hand]

WHO the Fu$k are YOU "Hotrod"? A union Shill?

Post somethin like that...seem to know all the "details"...except...Who the company was??? Then your "shill" union buddies...follow your post askin if it was Pike.:rolleyes:

Classic...
Nice try.

Thats cause they kill so many people swampy read the saftey forum most of them are pike accidents???

[never_forget_our_brothers]

Thats cause they kill so many people swampy read the saftey forum most of them are pike accidents???

He's so damn blind its funny. Anyone that thinks Pike is a good company needs to have their head checked and their cred checked. Pike is nothing but a shithole company who could care less about their employees.

West coast you see how he always blames the employee? Pike had a 19 year old kid killed on an ice storm in Georgia that worked for their tree clearing department. He was maybe on the job a week or two? They of course blamed him for the mistake but he had no idea. How is it his fault?? Thats the Pike way, thats why!:eek:

By the way read this shit: http://people.forbes.com/profile/j-eric-pike/63808


joined the Company in 1990 as an A-class lineman on an overhead construction crew

How in the hell do you "start" a company as an A-Class (rat talk, its called Journeyman Lineman BTW) when you had no prior experience? I love how he claims to be a lineman but if you ask him anything linework related he doesnt have a damn clue.:rolleyes: But of course thats the Pike way!!!

[Special ED]

why dont somebody get pike in the union and then maybe all this shit will stop.

Good luck... Me and another fellow tired in Louisville,KY and once word got out the VP of Pike flew in and had a suprise closed doors meeting with everyone and said if we voted it in Pike would close up shop there and lay us all off. Guy I was trying to organize with got scared and transfered.. Now the company is almost too big to even attempt to organize but maybe if they get far enough west away from the HQ in North carolina folks can get em to organize on small contracts and work their way back east.. Its possible but damn it would be hard!

[never_forget_our_brothers]

Good luck... Me and another fellow tired in Louisville,KY and once word got out the VP of Pike flew in and had a suprise closed doors meeting with everyone and said if we voted it in Pike would close up shop there and lay us all off. Guy I was trying to organize with got scared and transfered.. Now the company is almost too big to even attempt to organize but maybe if they get far enough west away from the HQ in North carolina folks can get em to organize on small contracts and work their way back east.. Its possible but damn it would be hard!

It even states in their handbook if I'm not mistaken that if OSHA or a Union rep approaches you, to contact your boss ASAP. J. Eric Pike needs more money, he cant afford to go union! He cant live right and pay his workers decent money, because he has to fly Supervisors around on his jet to kiss ass.

Pike would shut down a crew or any other person/people that tried to organize Pike.

[Stinger]

Do not let their size fool you. MASTEC is as big as Pike employee wise, and they slowly getting organized in their different divisions. Pike's biggest fear of being organized is they do not understand and fear the thought of a two way street between mgt and labor and a lineman or crew member telling mgt, "screw you, it is to dangerous and unsafe to do". Also the idea that they would have to apy everyone the same rate of pay for their classification.
When I worked for CW Wright, you could two journeyman in the air, one making 24.50 p/h the other making 20.00 p/h, it all depended on what side of the fence you were on with mgt.