There are few jobs quite as dangerous as utility work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),  the utility industry faced an average of 25.6 fatalities a year from 2016 to 2020. Injuries are even more common; Urbint reports, "the incidence rate for nonfatal injuries in utility system construction, for example, was 73.6 per 10,000 full-time workers in 2020 alone."

Utility workers often perform their duties in adverse weather conditions or at night, working with electricity or water. Linemen in particular have to perform high up on poles, which increases their risk. The following statistics from World Metrics highlight the dangers faced by linemen:

• The fatality rate for lineworkers is nearly 400% higher than the national average for all occupations.
• Over the last ten years, about 26 linemen lose their lives every year due to fatal work injuries.
• Linemen experience a non-fatal injury rate of 104.6 per 10,000 full-time workers.
• For every lineman fatality, there are approximately 20 non-fatal injuries.
• 61% of fatal injuries among linemen are due to transportation incidents.

It's a dangerous, but necessary job. Our communities are reliant on utilities like electricity and the internet. Electricity is crucial for daily life and most people cannot perform their daily job responsibilities without the internet. Whenever either of these utilities are out of service, people demand they be restored as soon as possible — no matter what the circumstances are. Line crews are the only ones who can make that happen. 

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New safety requirements from the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association 

Utility workers are required to perform their job duties, no matter how dangerous the task may be. In response to these dangers, the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association updated the Electrical Utility Safety Rules book (EUSR), effective January 1, 2024.

Several rules were added or updated to the EUSR. For instance , rule 110 was modified to require that AEDs be provided, maintained, and located on site when two or more workers are working in an energized electrical environment. Rule 122 states that when a second worker is required, they must  be knowledgeable about  the hazards associated with their responsibilities, and available and positioned to see the other worker performing the work.

Additionally , Rule 114, referred to as "Safe Conditions for Work," states that any task requiring the application of the Utility Work Protection Code (UWPC) must absolutely be followed. Recertification in the UWPC must be completed every 27 months at the earliest. This training must be conducted by Hydro One, IHSA, or a certified IHSA Member Employer.

These rules and regulations represent great strides in utility industry safety. But they’re not enough to guarantee the safety of line crews. That needs to start with creating a strong safety culture at work zones. 

Hazards that utility workers face every day

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Utility work is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous professions. This can be attributed to the sheer volume of hazards that one must be prepared to face on a daily basis. These dangers are exacerbated by the fact that many utility workers operate solo, which adds an additional layer of risk.

A utility worker may be required to work on their own due to the nature of the task or the size and scope of the project. But if a worker is on their own and an accident occurs, it could be hours before anyone is alerted to the incident and that worker receives medical care.

Trenching and working in confined spaces presents their own risks, as trench collapses are one of the leading causes of fatalities and injuries among construction workers each year. Working around underground utilities, such as natural gas, pose more hazards that require their own additional training. 

As Travelers says, "struck-by” deaths are one of the construction industry’s “Fatal Four” leading causes of death on the job site – of which 75% involve heavy equipment." Utility work zones have a tight footprint, meaning that crew members can easily be struck by backhoes, excavators and heavy-duty trucks. Here are some additional hazards that utility workers face: 

• Electrocution: As they’re constantly working with electrical wires, this is the biggest and most obvious threat that a lineman faces. Electrocution is the leading cause of death for linemen. 
• Falling from tall heights: World Metrics states that about 21% of lineman fatalities are caused by falls. Lineworkers climb poles or use aerial lifts to perform their duties at heights ranging from 40 to hundreds of feet off the ground. Equipment malfunction, loss of balance and adverse weather conditions can make a lineman’s chance of falling on the job surge. 
• Inadequate cover-up equipment: The right cover-up equipment gives linemen a safe distance from energized parts and equipment. Cover up equipment also keeps  energized conductors away from the grounded surface of poles and cross-arms. The chance of lineman injury or death skyrockets when workers need to move their covers in the middle of a job. 
• Improper PPE: PPE is crucial for all linemen, but it needs to be effective for whatever the task at hand is. Inadequate PPE causes a large proportion of accidents in the utility industry. The right PPE can very well be the difference between life and death for a lineman. 

Finally, utility workers stationed along roads are at constant risk of near misses or struck-by collisions. Despite using high-visibility clothing, arrow boards, and traffic cones, these analog alerting tools don't address the core issue — the motoring public is driving more distracted than ever. 

Distracted driving impacts utility job site safety

Drivers on the road are more distracted than ever. They operate cars while  texting, singing along to songs on the radio, or eating a quick breakfast before work. Modern cars may provide their own set of distractions, too. Gear shifts and in-vehicle infotainment centers have become more complicated and distracting, which have the potential to take a driver’s eyes off the road for just a few seconds too long. If that distracted driver is coming up on a utility work zone, that can lead to tragic, and sometimes deadly, consequences. 

Move Over laws were created to stop crashes like these. This legislation requires drivers to slow down and move over to allow safe clearance to emergency personnel, roadside workers, and other incidents and hazards on the road. Every state, along with Washington, D.C., has their own version of Move Over laws that protect roadside utility job sites. 

But despite that, challenges still persist. Motorists are still driving distracted and work zone crashes continue to persist. The National Safety Council says that 891 people were killed and 37,701 people were injured in work zone crashes in 2022. 

Utility workers may not be working alongside busy highways often. However, residential and rural roads are still dangerous, as they often include bends and hills. A utility job site may be situated on one of those bends or hills. If a person is driving mindlessly and a little too fast down those roads, they won't have time to react when a utility job site seemingly comes out of nowhere. 

When one of these crashes occurs, the implications are felt across the community. If a utility worker is injured, there are hospital bills, workers' compensation, and short or long term disability to be paid. Utility work is a highly-specialized job, which makes it harder to recruit people to temporarily replace injured workers. If a truck is damaged during a collision, those are incredibly costly to replace. 

In the worst cases scenario, people are killed in these collisions. When that happens, utility companies have to deal with the worst consequence of all — telling a utility worker's family they will not be coming home. 

Utility job site safety tips 

Utility work will always be dangerous — that will never change. But there are ways to mitigate these dangers.

Line crews deserve better protections at their job sites. Putting the right safety practices in place ensures workers are protected from injury and work sites can continue to operate smoothly. Here are some utility job site safety tips to put into place:

• Have workers to adjust their pace to the terrain: Utility crew often work in conditions that can lead to tripping, falling, and slipping. But when a worker takes the time to slow down and assess the surrounding environment, they'll be able to spot hazards that can lead to potential injuries. 
• Properly clean worksites: Tripping, slipping, and falling hazards don't just come from uneven terrain. Improperly maintained worksites can bring on these hazards, too. Make sure to regularly clean job sites to ensure workers always have clear pathways. 
• Work with quality machines: Never cut corners when it comes to machinery. Cheaper machinery has a higher risk of being faulty and more difficult to maintain. 
• Encourage employees to report workplace hazards: Employer negligence can lead to employee injury. Make sure all workers feel comfortable reporting a working hazard or a violation of the OSHA regulations, such as lack of PPE or fall protection, unsafe ladders, and lax hazard communication standards.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in utility job site safety. While companies should have strict regulations on what PPE workers need to wear, specific gear required will vary from job to job. Some common PPE includes hardshell helmets, safety goggles, gloves, and flame-resistant uniforms. 
• Recognize the signs of fatigue and stress: Utility work is tough. Stress and fatigue is to be expected, but it needs to be kept in check or else it will impact a utility worker’s ability to safely do their job. Consider hanging up mental health posters on the break room bulletin board so workers feel comfortable coming to supervisors with any issues. 
• Create a risk assessment for all tasks: Some tasks involve unique risks that aren’t covered by generic safety procedures. Assess every task your workers do and detail all possible hazards. This can help create a culture of safety, demonstrate your commitment to your employees’ well being, and prevent accidents and injuries. 
• Keep an eye on the weather: Rain creates severe electrical dangers and intense winds can increase the risk for falls. Always keep an eye on your weather and come up with contingency plans when the conditions become dangerous to work in.  
• Connect with other utility workers: Connect with other utility industry leaders in your area to learn what your peers are doing to keep employees safe on the job. Take notes to learn from their experiences and adjust their protocols to fit your job sites. 
• Implement a digital alerting system: A digital alerting system sends electronic notifications that notify civilian drivers of an upcoming hazard, such as a utility job site along the side of the road, and prompt them to slow down and move over. 

Digital alerting protects workers before drivers reach their job sites

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Analog alerting tools on their own are no longer enough to catch a driver's attention early and effectively. Digital alerts cut through the noise and meet drivers where they are with visual and auditory alerts. These systems send electronic notifications directly to drivers. Any alerting vehicle or asset can be equipped with digital alerting. Alerts inform drivers that there is a nearby or upcoming hazard, such as a utility job site, and they need to slow down and move over.

Digital alert systems like Safety Cloud by HAAS Alert® have been proven to mitigate the risks associated with distracted driving. Alerts are sent up to 30 seconds before drivers come into contact with a hazard in the road. Drivers receive these alerts through compatible in-vehicle infotainment centers and through leading navigation apps like Waze.

“The motoring public likes to multitask,” HAAS Alert's Tom Parbs told the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. “These alerts disrupt the distractions. They make people aware 30 seconds before the traditional advanced warning area of a work zone.”

Nathaniel Smith, Choptank Electric Cooperative’s Manager of Safety, Training, and Compliance, is all too familiar with the risk that distracted driving poses. In 2023, Choptank Electric’s sister company experienced a heartbreaking fatality on the road. After this tragedy occurred, Nathaniel realized he needed a new tool to keep his team safer on the job. 

Download the case study, “Choptank Electric Cooperative + Safety Cloud: Protecting Utility Workers on the Road” to learn why Nathaniel decided Safety Cloud was the right tool for Choptank Electric.

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