Tangedco director expresses displeasure over rising fatal accidents

CHENNAI: Taking exception to the increased number of departmental fatal accidents, TANGEDCO's distribution director said that none of the field staff has observed the safety procedures in the accident spots even as chief engineers reported conducting more safety classes to all the field staff.

According to the electrocution data for 2022-23 financial year till December, 25 fatal and 120 non-fatal accidents involving departmental staff and 467 non-departmental fatal and 146 non-fatal accidents were reported. As many as 276 animals were electrocuted.

"In spite of issuing repeated instructions from this office to all the Chief Engineers/Distribution and Superintending Engineers/Electricity Distribution Circle, it is noticed with much displeasure that, departmental fatal accidents are not in the decreasing trend due to non-adoption of safety measures and applying safety equipment not even placing of earth rods in the accidents (prone) locations, " the distribution director instructions said.

Pointing to the instructions to form a safety committee at the regional level to analyse the root cause of each and every accident and review to avoid re-occurrence, it said that the fatal accidents mostly occurred due to non-utilisation of earth rods, belt ropes, improper supervision, the lethargic attitude in work by the concerned wireman/gangman etc. Even the condition of air break switch blades, jumper cut and condition of LC were not checked by the staff before climbing the particular distribution transformer structure/feeder poles, it said.

It instructed the CEs and SEs to educate the field staff by conducting safety classes frequently narrating the cause of each and every accident that occurs due to non-observation of safety measures and usage of safety equipment and how and where to use it.

It said that stringent action against the field staff who has employed a private person for attending fuse off calls or any other line works. Notice should be issued to the buildings constructed nearer to the HT and LT line without clearances, it added.

A trade union leader said that most of the accidents happen because of a shortage of field workers. "There is a huge unfilled vacancies in the field workers category. It should be filled in war footing to avoid such accidents, " he said, adding that the gangman who were recruited to non-electrical works were forced to attend line works leading to electrocution.