Electricity Today T&D Magazine

Lineman Safety Standards are designed to create a safer work environment for linemen and communication workers. It is an ongoing mission for those of us who serve on the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), so it’s worthwhile to highlight changes embodied in Part 4 of the recently released 2017 edition.

Workers may familiarize themselves with these revisions and it’s important that employers align their safety programs with the Lineman Safety Standards and changes to them. It’s also beneficial when the public grasps that when linemen and communication technicians work safely, the public is safe.

The effort to protect workers and...

A variety of factors influence the safety of those who work on utility lines. Many of the items are standard and likely on everyone’s line worker safety checklist. But there’s one that may not be top-of-mind when considering how to keep linemen and linewomen safe — the influence technology vendors can have on worker safety.
Some of the more typical elements of a safe work environment for utility line crews include adherence to the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), training programs and personal protective equipment (PPE). But the less common safety element we want to highlight relates to...