Jun 5, 2011

Electrocution of two contract workers

As per news paper report, two persons died while climbing down the electric pole after doing repair jobs on a 11 kv feeder line. As per the reports, after the incident, other contract employees disconnected the power supply. It is a basic rule to deenergize the lines before taking up any maintenance jobs on or near electrical lines, electrical fittings and restore power supply only after ensuring that the planned work is completed and persons landed down safely.
As I mentioned in my earlier posts, one should not opt for shortcuts. There is no urgency in restoring the power supply, when lives of workers on the line are at risk. If the rules are not followed, then incidents like this continue to occur. Rules are repository of experiences so many persons who lost their lives and we need not learn afresh by endangering our own lives. Proper supervision is also required, particularly when we engage contract workers as they live on daily wages and do not have facilities like those regular employees. We should not cut cost at the cost of valuable lives.