Safety is something I learned to believe in during 1990 when an elderly gentleman shot out across a four-lane highway and I T-boned him at 55 mph. The old gentleman was seriously injured, and I lived only because of seat belts. I was thinking about it today, and so this column will dwell on safety.

I had the seat-belt habit pounded into me by my old boomer line foreman, Ellis Nelson, while working for Northwestern Bell in Minneapolis. Ellis would catch me "sittin' on the belt insteada usin' em," and if you've ever felt the wrath of a boomer line foreman in chew mode, you'll know why wearing them became habit.

Working line crew is your basic safety training ground. From day one, working as a grunt for a man aloft, safety glasses, gloves, hard hats, boots, and proper clothes are a must. This apprentice job requires that you learn to properly and safely handle heavy equipment, strand stresses and strains, cables and drops. Cutting a wire without relieving the strain can mean a trip through the air or down a telephone pole in a second.

Trenchers, backhoes, boom trucks, and a myriad of other heavy equipment can, in a quick moment, remove or damage appendages, slice, scrape, and otherwise make a bad day for any lineman who drops his guard.

In most telephone companies all technicians have received, and are still receiving, extensive safety training in all aspects of the job. And survival lies in following the rules.

The bottom line is: safety is up to you. Companies require that you be taught safe processes and procedures but they can't look over your shoulder every day. Remember, working in a safe manner can not only save you from serious injury, but it can also save those who work with you or those who are nearby when you are working.

Safety Tips
A bit of thought is required for each specific task performed on a daily basis. It's better to pre-plan each task with an eye to safety and avoid surprises.

Safety Headgear. Some safety precautions are obvious. Hard hats, for example, are designed to act as both a shield and a shock absorber to protect against head injuries. It also provides protection against electric shock in case of accidental contact with electricity. But the use of safety headgear in no way reduces the need for good job planning and observing the safety requirements the task demands.

Safety headgear should be worn whenever engaged in outside plant or installation and repair work whenever you are subjected to conditions that could result in head injuries from moving or falling objects, striking against stationary objects, or when the possibility of electrical shock exists. In other words, watch your head buddy. You'll keep it longer.

Electrical Hazards. Be sure to look for potential electrical hazards before climbing or working in a joint use plant. It is imperative that you recognize, test, and eliminate the possibility of electrical shock before exposing yourself to a potential electrical hazard.

Eye Protection. Eye protection is simple enough. Use eye protection whenever performing, observing, or supervising a work operation where there is any possibility of injury to the eyes.

There are two types of eye protection: 1) regular protection, and 2) special protection.

Regular protection consists of frontal eye protection against flying or moving objects.

Special protection consists of side as well as frontal eye protection from flying or moving objects and irritating liquids, dust, and splashes.

We do very good when it comes to regular protection, but seem to drop the ball when it comes to special protection.

Back in my splicing days, my helper and I had a splice to wipe on a very cold Minnesota day. It had snowed the night before, and there were several inches of snow on the street. Since it was very cold, I loaned my new 9-ounce White Stag snowmobile suit to my helper. After finding the cover with a frost bar, we set up the manhole, started the solder pot, and I went below to prepare the splice for wiping.

Seconds after I called for the solder pot, I heard a double explosion. When I reached the street, I found my helper, and my new snowmobile suit, covered with lead.

My helper had dropped the solder pot in the snow. The solder exploded, ricocheted against the manhole tent, and then washed over my helper who was not wearing his safety glasses because of the cold. Solder hit his face, but it cooled quickly enough to where he wasn't badly burned. He didn't get solder in his eyes. I spent the next few minutes pealing solder off my helper.

That 9-ounce snowmobile suit now weighs 11 pounds and 30 years later, it's still shedding flecks of solder. This guy wasn't safe - he was lucky. But Lady Luck is fickle.

Aerial Safety. Body belts are required when working more than four feet above the ground on poles, ladders, platforms, aerial lift buckets, cable cars, towers, and terminal balconies. These belts have improved dramatically from the old leather belts, but they require careful periodic inspection. It's up to you to make sure they are in good condition.

Climbers require care and maintenance, but this is directed more to the line crews than to the average ladder technician. It's both illegal and hard to climb in tennis shoes, but we all know someone who wears them on the job. That person won't be lucky every day; it's a matter of time.

Manhole Safety. Manhole safety is of the utmost importance. The process of testing and ventilation has come a long way from the wolf lamp and the sail cloth. New testing systems can indicate hazards ranging from combustible gas and petroleum products, to an unsatisfactory atmosphere.

Even the proper methods of removing and placing manhole covers are important safety procedures. Handling of gas cylinders and propane torches require training and a conscious effort to protect the technicians and the public.

Well, back to where we started: with me stuck in the side of a 1983 Chrysler, thinking hard about safety. I'm alive, thanks to the telephone industries' emphasis on safety. Thanks, Ellis. You saved a life.

Signing Off
Stay safe - and it's not just a work issue. I saved my leg from a bad cut by wearing chaps when taking down some trees, and I wear goggles every time I work in the garage or in the yard. It's a small concession, and you and your family need you to be safe. Contact me for questions or comments at dmccarty@mccartyinc.com.

About the Author - Don McCarty

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