Public Power - September 2008 - (Page 51)

cuer attempting to enter a confined space with an oxygen tank and other rescue equipment, you need to make sure the opening is large enough,” he said. Also, it is important to have a rescue plan in mind. Be sure to discuss confined space rescue procedures at the tailgate session before each job, said Swan. It does not need to be a lengthy and detailed discussion; it just needs to be a brief reminder of what needs to be done in the event of an incident. Swan also recommends hang- More importantly, even if they do have the training and equipment, there would be a delayed response time, which might end up being too late. If a worker is overcome by some type of fumes in a confined space and isn’t removed within a minute or two, you will likely lose that person, said Dow. In this case, workers should be hooked up with harnesses, and there should be a tripod and retrieval lines secured outside of the space. “Then, if something goes wrong, the person can be removed without someone hav- space rescue training annually. They are capable of responding to any type of rescue and extraction. “We set the training up to replicate the way things are in the field,” said George M. Hayes, training coordinator, overhead construction and maintenance. “For example, we have an above-ground manhole that opens up on the side and lets them practice.” Initially, representatives from DBI Sala (a safety equipment manufacturer) came in and showed OUC employees how to use the tripod and other For every worker who dies in a confined space, two more people attempting to rescue that worker end up dying. ing a small white board on the side of the truck (maybe 18”x18”), including the crew number, the supervisor’s name and cell phone number, the utility dispatch phone number, and the address of the job site. It should be updated every time the crew goes to a new job site. “If something does go wrong, the above-ground person, who may be the least experienced employee may get stressed,” said Swan. “He may not remember the address, the supervisor’s number, and so on.” This information board is even useful for passers-by. “Maybe the whole crew is incapacitated,” he said. But why not just rely on the local fire department to handle confined space rescue? There are several reasons, said Dow. First, the fire department may not have training in confined space rescue and may not have the required equipment. “This is especially true in a small community that may have a volunteer fire department,” he said. www.APPAnet.org ing to go into the space,” said Dow. Tripods work well when dealing with vertical spaces, such as vaults and manholes. When dealing with a tunnel or pipeline, though, the tripod is not suitable. Here, wristlets and anklets are appropriate. They wrap around the person’s ankles and wrists, or a full body harness. “The line attached to these needs to be manned at all times, so if something goes wrong, the person can be pulled to safety immediately,” said Dow. Of course, workers need to stay hooked up to retrieval lines. “If they detach themselves, this defeats the whole purpose of a non-entry-type rescue system, because it means someone will have to enter the space to conduct the rescue,” he said. Orlando Utilities Commission in Florida has never had to rescue someone from a confined space, but maintenance and transmission crews receive hands-on manhole and confined safety rescue equipment. However, Hayes has conducted the training himself for the last three years. “Over the years, we have spent time learning the best and fastest ways to use the equipment in order to get a person out of a confined space as quickly as possible, as well as limiting mistakes that could be made during the process,” he said. Each year, employees perform the activities in training a little bit faster with fewer poten- tial errors. “When I train, I stress procedure more than speed,” he said. “During an incident, people will be working as quickly as they can anyway. So, during training, it is important to concentrate on making sure they follow the proper procedures.” Crews are also trained to provide first aid until the fire department arrives. It is important to having sufficient equipment. “We do a good job of making sure we have upto-date equipment and that it is properly inspected and operational,” he said. What is occasionally a challenge for OUC is having enough equipment available for the crews on the job sites. “For example, during an outage, we may double up on the number of crews called in,“ said Hayes. If safety equipment is required, OUC does not require managers to have to go through the traditional procurement process. “Some managers have purchasing cards and are authorized to get certain equipment if we need it, without having to prolong the process,” said Hayes. ❚ Order entry, work order and billing for video, data, and voice services Broadband Billing Solutions for Utilities Automated provisioning of FTTH Network and all other technologies Use your existing utility billing system or ETI’s optional module 800.332.1078 www.etisoftware.com SEPTEMBER 2008 51 http://www.etisoftware.com http://www.APPAnet.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - September 2008

Public Power - September 2008 Contents Perspective 10 Questions What’s Good About RTOs? Capturing Coal’s Carbon Carbon Safety Valves Greater Glass, Greater Savings Getting Customers to Embrace Compact Fluorescent Lights LEEDing Green Kansas City Shows How to Build Green For Governing Boards Safety Community Broadband Hometown Connections Parting Shot

Public Power - September 2008

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