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Utility Safety Standards


Lineman Safety during a Wildfire

If you wanted to create a recipe for disaster, the beginning of the 2021 wildfire season would be a good place to start. Nearly 90% of the western U.S. is suffering through extreme drought. The snowpack set new low levels there as well. A record-breaking heatwave steamrolled the Pacific Northwest...

FERC Approves Interconnection for Talen Energy, Amazon Data Center

In a significant move that underscores the growing demand for reliable and sustainable energy to power the expanding digital infrastructure, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved an interconnection agreement between Talen Energy, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Exelon. This...

Grounding & Protection


Proper Inspection of Grounds and Jumpers is a Well Grounded Practice

Taking care of your grounds and jumpers A lineman’s ground and jumper cables look and feel like they’re built to last forever, but looks can be deceiving. They get tossed in the truck, dropped in the mud, left hanging in the rain, and generally overlooked. With everyday use, we start...

The End of the Road for Transmission Incentives

In a significant shift, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has decided to abandon its transmission incentives policy, particularly the construction work in progress (CWIP) incentives. This decision marks a pivotal change in how transmission projects are financed and regulated,...

Fall Protection


Testing Conditions and Guidelines for Personal Fall Protection Systems

1. PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS (A) GENERAL TEST CONDITIONS Lifelines, lanyards, and deceleration devices should be attached to an anchorage and connected to the body-belt or body harness in the same manner as they would be when used to protect employees, except that lanyards should be tested...

Tower Climbing Safety Equipment

What powerline technicians must know to stay safe BY JIM HUTTER, Capital Safety Most of modern life is powered by electrical energy, which is why transmission tower work continues to be an integral—yet extremely dangerous—part of the power distribution industry. The Occupational Safety and...

Lineman Safety

The Guide to IEEE Utility Safety Standards

A comprehensive review of IEEE guidelines and documents

BY JIM TOMASESKI, IEEE, NESC Main Committee, PAR Electric

Every day, utility workers are risking their lives in work environments that involve high-risk activities such as working at extreme heights, managing or repairing energized high-voltage power systems, transporting dangerous goods, working on suspended access equipment, or the opposite, cramped underground with little ventilation, and mitigating natural disasters.

Although assuring the safety and health of America’s utility workers...

Lineman Safety Articles