Safety Well Grounded at Underground |
So how would you approach breaking concrete encasing a live 12Kv electric line? Well, if you got in your time capsule and went back 30 years or so, you would choose your most experienced hand and be "real careful." Sound familiar? Are there any of you who wouldn't need the time capsule and still utilize the "real careful" approach? Underground is fortunate to employ Project Management, Field Supervision and Safety Supervisors who won't accept the "be careful" approach to safety, and when faced with a dangerous task to complete, put extraordinary effort into a safe and practical solution. Let me explain. There are at least three major players in a safe and productive construction operation. The Owner, Employer and Employee. Each must recognize the value of taking steps beyond traditional methods to ensure safety. The first component for all three players is a true appreciation of the Hazard.We were fortunate to be working for the City of Palo Alto, and trading increased effort for a safe operation was consistent with their safety philosophy. Through years of experience, Underground has seen its share of safety related problems and values a safe approach. Underground Project Engineer, Juan Flores, reviews construction drawings for development of a tie-in procedure considering safety, quality and practicality. This written document clearly defines the levels of responsibility, critical steps and other factors necessary to complete the work safely and efficiently. Our employees are the final piece of the puzzle. To fully demonstrate the hazards, Underground, with the help of |
The Construction Craft Training Center, conducted an eight hour electrical safety course designed to highlight the hazards associated with electricity, grounding methods, lockout tagout procedures, proper Personal Protective Equipment and commonly used tools and safety devices. This class was not only attended by those directly involved in the project but other interested and concerned employees. Once everyone understood the hazards it was time to devise a safe working method. The solution involved dielectric gloves, boots and mat, orange fire retardant coveralls, a grounding system that attached directly to the chipping gun, and specially developed tools. These special tools were required not only to precisely perform the work, but alsoaccommodate the bulky, awkward nature of the dielectric gloves. Underground Safety Supervisor, Art DeLeon, worked extensively on the development of these specialty tools, recognizing the ergonomic challenges associated with the dielectric gloves. The goal of this project was to identify empty conduit, allowing new system laterals to be installed. Non conventional tools were developed and used to allow the least intrusive method of exposing the contents of the conduit. A heavy rasp was used to create a viewing window in the top of the potentially vacant duct. Once it was determined that the conduit may be empty, a larger window was cut into the conduit using a knocker tool that slit the top of the conduit utilizing a shallow cutting edge driven by the force of a hammer along the length of the conduit. This large window allowed true verification that the conduit was indeed empty and available for use in the new lateral system. |
Underground also implemented a Job Specific Daily Hazard Analysis to expose any unique daily hazards and foster thorough safety preparation prior to the start of the workday. One of the greatest challenges was obtaining the proper size of gloves for the workforce. The readily available gloves were several sizes too large, making their use awkward at best. Extensive searching uncovered the proper sized gloves allowing more precise work. Congratulations go out to Division Manager, Dale McCourt, Project Engineer,
Juan Flores, Foreman, Sergio Cortes, and the unending effort of Safety Supervisor,
Art DeLeon. Their teamwork and dedication to a very difficult task highlight
and reinforce Underground's commitment to a safe workplace.
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