There used to be big money and smart people in it too, people who knew how not to get killed just from common sense, I started out same as you in the easements with a brace and bit, we had a T40 that was down 2 days a week. Yes there was production and guys were tough but bucket trucks are the greatest tool we have. I don't know about you but pulling that rope sucks! These days companies hire stupider people because they stay on longer and don't jump jobs, it costs a lot to train someone. There is also 100,000,000 more people in this country since 1970.
Safety is learnt everywhere and it starts at home. Classroom based training is also an important part of being safe, everything helps. Simple things like driving with your lights on, wearing your seat belt, looking a 1/4 mile ahead. Simple right?? My diddlers are too dumb to do that, I have to yell at them every day and they still don't do it. Did you know 1 in 3 linemen died on the job in the early 1900's? The IBEW did so much for this industry when it comes to safety, generally companies could care less about safety since it costs money but people got sick of seeing their friends die and did something about it.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen inhouse techs doing things that would give OSHA a heart attack. They almost always have a lot more training then contractors. A couple years ago I had to rescue a Comcast tech off a roof, we were doing the roof on the house next door to it. I've also done high end roofing on/off for 10 years and know pretty much everything there is to know about it, from a shed to the philly art museum to Patti Laballe's mansion in Gladwyne to the 2nd tallest skyscraper in Philadelphia so I have a lot of training in that also.
The guy went up on a 2nd FL, 10/12 slope roof that was covered with frost in Feb to attach a drop. Honestly I don't even know how he made it up there but he was straddling the ridge and couldn't get back down. It was kinda funny cause he was like 6'10" only weighed 200lbs and looked like spiderman trying to get down but what if we weren't there?? He was alone, there was 6" of snow on the ground and it was 20 degrees outside. There was a chance that he might not be found for 30min or even a couple hours. That is something most smart people would not do and on top of all that, the drop was 3' above power. BUT how do you teach that?? Cops have a saying, JDLR, just doesn't look right and that's something that people need to think about before doing some stupid shit like that.
1000' feet of production is a small price to pay to have everyone go home safe but let's look at the stats anyway; back then it was all coax and twisted pair, there were 10x less drops (some houses have 4-10 now) and cables, poles had less lines on them, there was a ton of new build work. Now it's raise and run or overlash with 50 years of bad installers. Maybe you were lucky back then but I know many stories from old timers that beg to differ otherwise. Also there is 100,000,000 more drivers on the road as people didn't drive much back in the day and the cars are a lot faster. Just my 2 cents, stay safe brothers.
Re: Safety is learnt in the field- not in a book !
Member #: 20347
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
113
Name:
Bull
Occupation:
Overhead Linemen
Location:
Easement
Personal:
early 40s
Experience:
~27 years
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