December 21, 2023

Working near power lines and avoiding tire blowouts

As a service to our policyholders, Texas Mutual shares serious workplace injury trends based on catastrophic injuries and fatalities reported to our claims department. Not all of these reported injuries are covered by workers’ compensation, but our goal is to help you ensure these types of incidents do not happen in your workplace. Find safety tips below to help keep your employees safe on the job.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact our safety services support center at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723) or safety@texasmutual.com.

In this alert:

• Working near power lines
• Avoiding tire blowouts

Working near power lines

An employee was standing in the basket of an aerial lift, working near a power line. The employee accidentally touched the power line and was electrocuted. In a separate incident, an employee was electrocuted when they fell from a ladder and made contact with a power line. Both employees sustained burns from these events.

Power lines are serious hazards for employees, whether they are performing electrical work or just working near power lines. Regardless of the job being done, safe work procedures must be followed.

• While working, always assume power lines are energized.
• Before digging operations begin, call 811 to have underground utilities marked.
• Conduct a pre-work hazard assessment to identify potential electrical hazards.
• Determine the voltage of any power lines or contact the electrical company for assistance.
• Measure and mark the appropriate minimum clearing distance from the power lines based on the voltage.
• If any work is being conducted near the clearing distance marking, utilize a spotter to ensure equipment does not come too close to the power lines.

Avoiding tire blowouts

In separate incidents this fall, two employees experienced tire blowouts while driving heavy-duty vehicles. Both vehicles veered off the road and eventually overturned. One employee suffered serious injuries while the other employee lost their life as a result of the crash.

To prevent a blowout, preparation is key. Maintaining and inspecting your vehicle as well as developing a plan for reacting to a blowout are essential for planning a safer trip.

• Stay current on vehicle maintenance and repairs, especially tire replacements.
• Check your tire pressure at least once a month to ensure the air pressure is at the recommended level.
• Inspect your tires for any damage or abnormalities before driving.
• If you do experience a tire blowout while driving, let your vehicle slow down gradually, maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel and, once you’re moving less than 30 mph, pull over to the side of the road and come to a complete stop.
• If you notice another vehicle experiencing a tire blowout, slow down and give them space to pull over.

Get free safety resources

Texas Mutual policyholders have access to thousands of free training materials in our multimedia safety resource center, including our safety catalog with up-to-date resources.

To access the free materials, log in to your texasmutual.com account and select Safety. If you need help accessing the safety resource center or you have a workplace safety question, call us toll-free at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723).

Download a PDF (171KB) version of the December Safety Alert.