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  1. Default What is your company or union policy on wind?

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    Let's say there is a hurricane or bad storm, when is it too windy to start making repairs? I've been up in bad wind and can only say it was stupid and management should have waited for the storm to subside before sending us out on repairs. Feedback welcome. I've heard some trouble men say they'd go up in anything. Unless there was a life at stake, I don't know why anyone would take such risk of having a tree snap on a boom or getting whiplashed with a snapping conductor.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    ireland/ Dublin
    Posts
    2,119

    Default Nobody

    In the uk. It is illegal to " ask anyone " ( put someone to work ) to do any thing that puts somebody at risk. As it says in our risk assessment " IF IT CANT BE DONE SAFLEY...THEN IT CANT BE DONE "
    SO......
    climbing or going up in a bucket in normal circumstances is no problem obviously ... But if conditions change then you are being put at risk.
    BUT
    it is up to the individual to decide if the task is safe... We can not be made to do anything that's un safe ....but at what wind speed do you deem it un safe ??????? For instance when I worked live on towers from the helicopter we weren't allowed up if the winds were over 20mph ...
    NOBODY SHOULD BE ASKING INDIVIDUALS TO WORK OUTSIDE THIER COMFORT ZONE.
    The best answer I can give you is. ( it's our little Irish saying that my men know we live by ).

    WHEN IN DOUBHT .......LEAVE IT OUT..

    If you feel endangered ..then don't risk your life because " someone tells you " that's your job" Think of your family and always walk away.
    IF IT WASN'T FOR BAD LUCK WE WOULD HAVE NO LUCK AT ALL. !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    South East Texas
    Posts
    3,278

    Default

    They usta send us out rite in the middle of a hurricane but that has changed now. I've tred refusing transformers while hearing the trunk feeders bellow all around.... me never did make any cents to me

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pootnaigle View Post
    They usta send us out rite in the middle of a hurricane but that has changed now. I've tred refusing transformers while hearing the trunk feeders bellow all around.... me never did make any cents to me
    Same here...during hurricane Alicia we were out there picking up pea-vine that only went back down.Finally they called us in to the center,so we watched the news that were saying that all crews were still out working .Im still open to the idea of killing some portions of a line until the storm is over,although you cant kill all of them due to hospitals/ect.Most times it was up to the crew to decide when to get out of the high winds.Now saying that,you could be in more danger if your crew leader wanted to stay out there and be Americas new hero,you know the type....the guy that gets on two customers while thousands of more are losing power and he thinks that he has done something

  5. #5

    Default Manufacturers Guidelines

    I believe most booms are rated to be used up to 35 MPH winds. With that said, I know many have worked sustained winds that were higher with even higher gusts. When it goes bad it will fall on the operator of the boom. Companies try to keep lights on as long as possible and this sometimes leads to linemen ending up in situations they should not be in. As others have said...employees have the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions.
    Take only what you earn, give only what you can, learn to respect yourself before you can expect to respect anything or anyone else.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    South East Texas
    Posts
    3,278

    Default

    Umm when working out of the local no buckets were flown if you could see lightening anywhere

  7. #7

    Default

    Common sense, when you don't feel comfortable come down.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,343

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Lineman North Florida View Post
    Common sense, when you don't feel comfortable come down.
    I'm with you LNF.

    I do remember loosing a hard hat in a strong wind, last time I saw it, it was flying like a Frisbee over a home. Once I got belted in and replaced the tr fuse I came down and couldn't find that thing anywhere. we didn't have buckets for everyone back then and trying to refuse with an extendo stick would have been impossible.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    South East Texas
    Posts
    3,278

    Default

    yeah usin apogo in hurricane force winds aint easy

  10. Default

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    OSHA says 40mph I think. I've been up in the air during blizzards and hurricanes and I would never do it again. What is there to gain by risking your life?

    Last year we had one of the worst blizzards ever with 70mph winds and snow coming down almost a foot an hour and they sent us out. I made it to a phase down that was about a normal 10 minute ride in 45 minutes and there was no cars on the road because driving was banned. I went up in the air and opened a switch, came down and went right back in and told them I'm not going out unless the fire department needs me. Ten minutes later they called and gave me a flickering light call for one house. I said no because that was ridiculous. I told them to tell the person to shut the breaker off and call us in a week.

    So I go out to the platform and I see a troubleman coming in a couple hours later and I asked him where he came from and he said he was in my area. Guess where they sent him.. the job I refused.

    Moral of the story is our company will send you out in the worst weather you can imagine for a flickering light call and if you refuse they will call the next guy.

    Now when we have high winds I go sit in the biggest parking lot I can find if they make me leave the building.

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