As part of the safety induction program of our team, each member is required to attend a Power Line Safety Awareness Training Seminar. Despite having known the hazards of electricity through the years of experience in the industry, I did not hesitate to attend the seminar. I believe that it will serve as a refresher course for me
I did not regret attending the seminar. Our speaker has been a former line trade person for 25 years and certified to be a live line worker at 275kV. He left the power company to join a safety training company.
The course is actually intended for non-electrical people so the terms are very basic. It could be easily understood by non-technical people. What caught up my attention are these phrases which will surely prevent accidents not only in the workplace but likewise at home.
- Look up and Live
always look up before trying to lifting anything, you might be touching a power line. This applies to crane operator, or or someone at home who wants to trim trees. - Look down and survive
When digging always be be on the look out of warning tapes, you might be hitting an underground power line - Dial before you dig
dial up authorities to know what underground services were installed with your work area. - Assume alive until proven dead
Do not attempt to work on any live electrical equipment unless proven to be dead by a qualified person. - If you don't know ask
Asking will not make you less knowledgeable, ask if you are not sure of what to do.
This phrases are very simple but it would mean preventing accidents in your workplace or at home and saving your life.
It has always been a natural phenomenon that the more knowledgeable people are the more accident prone because their task become so monotonous that they work without even thinking.