this actually happened few years ago

[reppy007]

A couple of truck drivers were teamed up for awhile,if anybody,you would think they would know better,but then again this is a part of linework,they were loading poles onto a pole truck.Back and forth to the job location,the same ole story,it became routine,so on one of those trips while loading more poles.One was operating and the other had most likely the head of the pole in his hands,either picking it up ,rotating it,in a split second the winch-line back-lashes,causing the pole to drop,then bounch up like like they do.Hitting the guy on the bottom side of his jaw.I remember he was hurt pretty bad for months,anyone else it would have killed,this type of accident is always hidden until it happens,just be aware keep your head away,at all times.I know this is the end of the year,and everyone has millions of things on there minds,keep the job in mind first.happy holidays.

[Bighorn Ape]

Yep, a nice balanced pick can save your ass....a sudden jerk can really throw you around. It only takes about five seconds to re-pick a pole.

If you have ever loaded a pole with a backhoe, that's when you really need a good balanced pick.

[JD426H]

That's why you should control it using a tag line on the lightest end. Staying a step back holding it with a long collar rope might be the one step you need to keep from getting your teeth knocked out or your brains busted out if something like the above happens.

[Trojan]

ComEd had a fatality due to a somewhat similar situation 30 years ago. Robert L. Hardy, a thirty-six year old Lineman in the Belvidere, IL Overhead Department with 8 years of experience, was working on April 22, 1981 with a crane to remove 85 long wooden poles as part of a job to dismantle an old 138,000 volt line, approximately seven miles south of Oregon, Illinois. The pole was top heavy due to the low position of the crane’s line on the pole. Control of the pole was lost and the butt end went up into the air. A sling rope, attached to the pole butt, tangled around Hardy’s leg and catapulted him at least sixty feet high. The fall and impact caused multiple fractures and internal injuries, leading to his death.

[Nate]

A couple of truck drivers were teamed up for awhile,if anybody,you would think they would know better,but then again this is a part of linework,they were loading poles onto a pole truck.Back and forth to the job location,the same ole story,it became routine,so on one of those trips while loading more poles.One was operating and the other had most likely the head of the pole in his hands,either picking it up ,rotating it,in a split second the winch-line back-lashes,causing the pole to drop,then bounch up like like they do.Hitting the guy on the bottom side of his jaw.I remember he was hurt pretty bad for months,anyone else it would have killed,this type of accident is always hidden until it happens,just be aware keep your head away,at all times.I know this is the end of the year,and everyone has millions of things on there minds,keep the job in mind first.happy holidays.

I hear these stories and It brings back the basic things I learnd some 2o plus years in our trade,
I worked with lineman that had 30 and 40 years in our trade teach me things you dont do and things you should do, and one about loadn poles was get the pole on a pole sling and use a tag line to move it. and set it on the truck or your trailer, save your toes and your teeth

[Christy@GEC]

Pole popped up, hit the foreman in the chest then fell on his foot. He has bruised ribs and ankle broken in 7 places. Took 2.5 hours to get his foot back together and he will be off duty for 10 weeks to recover.

[reppy007]

Pole popped up, hit the foreman in the chest then fell on his foot. He has bruised ribs and ankle broken in 7 places. Took 2.5 hours to get his foot back together and he will be off duty for 10 weeks to recover.

Man,I hate to hear that,good thing that it didnt kill him,its good for us to talk about accidents that happen,or have happened,maybe sombody can avoid having one,taking just a little more precautions than normal..............but it would be better if we didnt have to talk about these accidents,,,,,,,,,,,,thanks for sharing,hope the forman gets well soon.

[Christy@GEC]

You're welcome.

I am not over the safety in that branch of our company that had this accident; but I am hoping we all go to slings and guide ropes so there is no more of the hands on and being too close if a pole does swing free or tip.

I have watched the poles being off loaded when we have deliveries and my stomach just knots up thinking PLEASE don't rush, PLEASE make sure all the equipment is working! I can talk until I am blue in the face but if no one listens...I will repeat myself until they do.

[reppy007]

A few years back we had some type of problem at my dads house,it was electrical.I guess they were in a hurry to get it repaired,and they thought I would take the cover off the electrical socket and fix what needed to be fixed.A bell goes off in my head telling me to cut the breaker off,,,,,,,,,,they wern't marked so I killed the main,and checked voltage before touching anything............I know,,its only 120 volts,,,,,,,but I thought how stupid would it look if I was killed by 120volts and being a lineman,,,,,,,,,,,,I couldnt afford to take that chance,,,,would you?