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Fall Protection


FERC Complaint Targets Duke, PJM Transmission Planning

A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...

Electric Utility System Standards

How Ontario regulation can improve electrical safety BY BILL KHASHFE, London Hydro According to an Ontario Electrical Safety Report, 35 percent of the province’s electrical-related fatalities in the past 10 years were attributed to power-line contact. Equipment specifications and electric utility...

Utility Safety Standards


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...

North Carolina Town Sues Duke Energy for Climate Fraud

A small town in North Carolina has filed a lawsuit against Duke Energy, one of the largest utility companies in the United States, alleging that the company has been deceptive in its efforts to downplay the environmental impact of its operations. The lawsuit, filed by the town of Smithfield, claims...

Safety Technologies


Fall Protection Becomes Mandatory

New regulation removes “optional” to increase worker safety BY CRAIG FIRL, Capital Safety The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published updated rules and regulations in April 2014 that impact fall protection for the electrical utility industry. These new regulations,...

Battery Fires Pose Minor Environmental Risks, ACP Report Finds

Battery fires in large-scale energy storage systems (BESS) have raised concerns, but a recent review by the American Clean Power Association (ACP) found that such incidents pose only minor environmental risks. According to a third-party analysis of U.S. battery fires since 2012, these fires did not...

Lineman Safety

Electrical Safety for First Responders

 How Smart Grid technologies can become an electrical hazard to rescue workers

Smart Grid technologies have risen to prominence in North America. Media outlets, industry experts, vendors, and utilities all echo the same positive sentiments regarding a digitized power grid. However, new technologies can also introduce new hazards. Roy Burch, Manager of Loss Prevention and Environmental Compliance, for Guelph Hydro Electric Systems Inc., a distribution utility for the city of Guelph, Ontario, has actively reached...

Lineman Safety Articles