Electrical Utilities & Telecommunications Training Online

Description

What’s in the Electrical Utilities & Telecommunications Course?

Our Electrical Utilities and Telecom training course is OSHA Aligned, and our online version fulfills OSHA’s classroom training requirement. This presentation includes intermittent practice quiz questions to prepare for the final written exam included with the course. In addition to the written exam, this course also includes a checklist for employers to use when administering a practical exam as required by OSHA.

Training Scope:

• General knowledge
• Safe Operations
• Hierarchy of Controls
• PPE
• Equipment
• Field Work
• Facilities
• Emergency Response
• Investigated Case Studies

Course Goals:

• Understand the procedures and standards related to electric utilities
• Learn definitions of common terms and equipment related to electric utilities
• Learn how to perform a job hazard analysis
• Understand how to use safety controls, lockout/tagout procedures, and PPE
• Learn how to perform field work safely
• Understand emergency response procedures

Estimated Training Length: Because everyone learns and progresses at different speeds, the amount of time you spend taking this training will vary. However, the estimated time for this training is 12.5 – 13 hours.

Intended Audience:

• Employees
• Supervisors
• Managers
• Employers

OSHA Requirements: This course meets the following OSHA Requirements:

• 29 CFR 1910.268 – Telecommunications
• Subpart R
• 29 CFR 1910.269 – Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart V – Electric Power Transmission and Distribution
• 1926.964 – Overhead Lines and Live-line Barehand Work
• 1926 Subpart V App D – Methods of Inspecting and Testing Wood Poles
• 29 CFR 1926.957 – Live-line Tools
• 29 CFR 1926.965 – Underground Electrical Installations

Why Take Our Online Electrical Utilities and Telecommunications Training?

Our online training course provides a substantial, thorough, and effective way to learn how to work safely. We’ve been providing industry-specific safety training solutions for individuals, safety managers, and business owners for over 15 years.

The online course meets the classroom requirement for occupational safety training. It also includes a proficiency checklist that employers can use to perform a practical evaluation, in accordance with standards and regulations.

We have fine-tuned this training to provide you with the best experience possible. Our robust training approach gives an interactive experience that helps learners retain information and apply it on the job site, preventing costly accidents and fines. Safety training is an investment. That is why hundreds of companies and individuals all over the world trust the Hard Hat Training Series for their online training needs.

Why Buy Our Electrical Utilities and Telecommunications Training?

• Complete Training: First and foremost our goal is to keep you safe and save you money. Don't risk getting expensive OSHA fines because you settled for a sub-par training program that didn't cover safety topics in depth. Train using a program that helps you retain what is learned so that it is put into practice on job sites.
• Cost-Effective: Hiring a trainer to come on-site can be expensive. In contrast, our online curriculum lowers costs while still providing a professional training experience.
• Records Tracking System: We offer an easy-to-use management system so that if you have multiple students who are receiving the training you can have access to all records, all-terrain certificates, observation guides and more! (contact us if you would like us to quickly create a company account for you)
• Train Your Way: You can use this online training program for new hire training, refresher training or train remotely. Access it from anywhere and work on your schedule.
• Interactive Learning: Special reminders and quiz questions throughout the course prep students for the final exam so that it is passed the first time.
• Corporate License: Do you want to host this course on your own server? Contact us about obtaining broadcasting rights for this and any of our other online courses.

Electric Hazards & Telecommunications Training | Telecom Training

What is Telecommunications?

Telecommunications, commonly known as telecom, is the electronic exchange of information across distances. It includes all forms of voice, data, and video transmission. This is a broad phrase that encompasses a wide range of information-transmission technologies and communications infrastructures including:

• Wired phones
• Mobile devices like cell phones
• Microwave communications
• Fiber optics
• Satellites
• Radio and television broadcasts
• The internet
• Telegraphs

What Hazards Are Associated With Telecommunications?

Telecommunication centers, as the name suggests, are facilities that store telecommunication equipment. Some examples of this equipment are telephones, television antennas, and even telegraph equipment. The most common hazards employees are exposed to when working in a telecommunications center are electrical hazards.

Why Do I Need Telecom Safety Training?

Employee safety training is critical in preventing electrocution and other electrical safety concerns. Electrical safety is important since electricity is both powerful and extremely dangerous. Mishandled electricity can result in serious injury or death. Therefore, keeping employees safe on the job necessitates the implementation of safety programs and procedures.

While electrical hazards are the most common hazards associated with telecommunications work, they are not the only ones. And while most employees who work with telecommunications may work in a telecommunications center, not all do. Some telecom employees work up on telecommunication towers or even underground in confined spaces.

Wireless Hazards

Above Ground Work

Transmission towers are a common sight throughout the United States. It’s difficult to locate an area that does not have them. They can be constructed from steel or aluminum parts. They are most commonly utilized for electrical lines that run overhead. When working on these towers, you are more likely to be dealing with big machinery. Such machinery would include cranes and aerial lifts. Because of this, be sure you have the required training and know how to operate these machines safely.

Below Ground Work

More utility lines are being constructed or moved as technology progresses and new methods and machinery are offered. Instead of stretching overhead, most are now safely hidden in confined spaces.

A confined space is a bodily entrance with restricted access and room for people. These could be manholes or vaults for electrical utility personnel. Employees who operate in tight places are more likely to suffer serious physical harm as a result of risks such as:

• Entrapment
• Engulfment
• Dangerous air conditions

Our Outline For Our Safety Courses: Telecom

Here at Hard Hat Training we offer an Electrical Utilities and Telecom Safety Training Course. This course is made up of four different modules. For the sake of the article we will only briefly cover what each module and topic covers. However, it is important to note that all of our safety courses align with the appropriate safety standards. Therefore, this course will meet the proper safety training requirements.

Controls

Controls at telecommunications facilities are any methods or equipment used to protect workers from electrical hazards. Employers evaluate which controls are required based on the hazards present on the job site and the specific tasks to be done. The hierarchy of controls is a framework that depicts the best approaches to safeguard employees from hazards on construction sites.

A Hazardous Energy Control Program (HECP) specifies the methods for isolating hazardous energy sources as well as installing and removing protective locks and tags. We will dive into more detail about this later. Sometimes equipment cannot be securely deenergized, or the work to be done does not necessitate the use of LOTO procedures. Workers may still require protection. This is where the concepts of protection come into play. Guarding is a sort of engineering control in which barriers are built on a job site to limit access to dangers. It refers to the minimum clearance zones that have been set up to keep people safe from these threats.

Equipment

When working in the telecommunications industry, you will use a wide range of equipment. While the precise equipment used by each organization may differ, one thing remains constant: in order to stay safe while working, you must operate your equipment safely. Before work in an aerial lift can begin, it must be properly grounded. If this is not feasible, employees must barricade the truck’s body and treat it as if it is activated.

Any insulated equipment, insulated tools, and aerial devices or platforms used for live-line barehand work must be designed, tested, and authorized. While in use, these must be kept clean and dry. A generator will be required as a power source in some job areas. They can be tiny enough to carry or large enough to require towing behind a vehicle. Generators are a diverse solution to solve electricity problems, but they can be hazardous. Portable generators provide risks such as carbon monoxide poisoning, shock, fire, and noise.

Fieldwork

If work is being performed on a wooden pole, employers must ensure it is fit to climb and can withstand stresses that could cause the pole to fail. These stresses include the weight of the employee, the weight of the equipment that is being installed, and other stresses such as the removal or re-tensioning of conductors. If the pole is found to be unsafe to climb or work on, the employer must secure it. This can be done with a line truck boom, ropes, or other employees, or by lashing a new pole to the old one. Poles should be inspected by a qualified person.

A confined space is a work area with limited access and seating. These could be manholes or vaults for electrical utility personnel. Employees who work in tight places are more likely to suffer severe physical harm as a result of risks such as entrapment, engulfment, and dangerous air conditions. A hazardous atmosphere causes mortality, incapacity, impairment of self-rescue ability, injury, or severe disease due to a shortage of oxygen or the presence of gasses. The more you understand what is happening and why, the better prepared you will be.

Facilities & Emergencies

Power plants, power stations, or powerhouses, are buildings that generate electric energy. They do this by converting various sources of energy, such as chemical, mechanical, or hydraulic, into electricity using specialized equipment. A substation is a facility that contains switches, circuit breakers, buses, transformers, and other assembled equipment that modifies electric energy as it goes through. Substations are normally located outside in fenced-off areas, but they can also be housed within a building. Accidents can and will occur despite your best efforts.

Employees must have access to and evaluate a written emergency action plan (EAP) on the jobsite. You may be asked to conduct a pole-top rescue at some point. Certain circumstances, such as illness, severe injury, equipment failure, or electrical shock, may require you to assist a coworker in safely reaching the ground. Whatever the reason, you must be trained in how to protect yourself during this type of rescue.

Safety Standards Regarding Telecommunication

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has many standards regarding the safety of employees who work in or around telecommunication centers. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as well as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) also have standards in place regarding the safety of employees who could potentially be exposed to an electrical hazard.

These standards, regulations, and recommendations should be used to develop company policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs). A company safety program, a HECP, and an emergency action plan should all be included.

Electrical Safety Programs

Employers must use electrical safety programs to regulate and eliminate hazards in the workplace. They can be used to identify and characterize risks connected with electrical hazards and then explain safe workplace practices. This program must be implemented and documented by the employer. It also must be made available to anybody who works with or near electrical dangers.

The safety program must be kept up to date with current workplace dangers and requirements. This is so that employees can use it as a reference for safe operations. The following elements must be included in this program.

Maintenance

Unmaintained equipment is more likely to fail, increasing the risk of an arc flash or other electrical disaster. The need for proper maintenance should be emphasized in an electrical safety strategy. It must also include guidelines for doing maintenance safely.

Awareness

One of the primary goals of the electrical safety program is to raise employee awareness of the electrical hazards to which they may be exposed. It should also include controls and other methods for eliminating or reducing these threats.

Workers will ensure that safety is always the first concern by displaying proper regard for worksite dangers, procedures, and equipment. Employees may need to be retrained at regular periods because it is possible to become complacent without realizing it.

Safety Principles

In the electrical safety program, the business must also establish general safety concepts. Planning, examining, deenergizing, training, using the correct tools, and auditing are examples of these ideas. Other items in this area may be added or removed by your employer based on the work to be done.

Program Controls

Program controls should be included in the electrical safety program. These controls must include hazard identification and risk identification, control mechanisms to eliminate the hazards, and an outline of the qualified person’s responsibilities when working on electrical equipment. The content of this part is decided by the type of job given by the employer as well as the unique hazards prevalent in the workplace.

Program Procedures

A section on program procedures is also included in the electrical safety program. These may include job-to-be-done reasons, dangers involved, approach boundaries, safe work procedures, PPE, and equipment schematics and descriptions. Many of these subjects will be included in the electrified electrical work permit, which will be discussed in more detail later. The content of this area, like the preceding sections, depends on the task and hazards involved.

Risk Assessment Procedures

The safety program must also include instructions on how to conduct a risk assessment in accordance with the relevant equipment and duties. A critical component of this section is suggesting appropriate control techniques for the threats.

Job Hazard Analysis

Before working on energized equipment, qualified individuals must prepare and complete a job hazard analysis (JHA), which identifies risks and hazards as well as methods to eliminate or manage them before they occur. A JHA is one of the most effective strategies to define and implement correct work practices. If uncontrolled risks are discovered during the JHA, take efforts to eliminate or reduce their risk level to a tolerable level.

Job Briefings

As part of the safety program, a job briefing must be performed and documented. The job briefing must take place prior to the start of work on the job. This will educate staff about the hazards discovered during the JHA, as well as their specific jobs and responsibilities throughout operations.

Other topics in the job briefing will vary depending on the job, but they may include identifying risks, describing the anatomy of the equipment being worked on, and noting qualified individuals and their jobs. A strategy for safe work operations must be specified, as well as instructions on how to put it into action.

Emergency Response Plan

An emergency reaction plan, which describes what to do in the event of an arc flash, is essential for a work briefing. A response plan should include information on whether personnel are trained in CPR, who has received emergency response training, and who to alert in the event of an emergency.

Auditing

Finally, a certified individual must audit and document the safety program to confirm that all standards and information are current and aligned. They must inspect the company annually to check that the standards are followed and practiced, and then inspect the program every three years to guarantee that the information is correct.

Hazardous Energy Control Program

A Hazardous Energy Control Program (HECP) specifies the methods for isolating hazardous energy sources as well as installing and removing protective locks and tags, often known as lockout/tagout.

A HECP is designed to protect workers from injury when performing maintenance on equipment that may unexpectedly startup or release stored energy. This program must also explicitly address the following, according to government standards:

• Energy control procedures
• Employee training
• Periodic inspections

Employee Training

Let’s begin with the training. Training is essential for keeping you and the people around you safe. This element of the energy control program should incorporate all firm regulations about personnel training and retraining. It should also clearly define the standard’s three major groups of personnel, namely authorized, affected, and other.

Authorized Employees

Any individual who has been assigned to service the apparatus in question is considered an authorized employee. As a result, they supervise the installation, use, and removal of lockout and tagout devices. They must also be trained in the identification of hazardous energy sources, the type and volume of energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means required for energy isolation and control.

Affected Employees

Affected employees are those individuals whose normal routine is disrupted by maintenance and lockout/tagout processes. You would be considered an affected employee whether you are generally assigned to work on the machine being serviced or work in the area of other locked-out equipment. Employees who are affected must be able to detect when LOTO controls are applied, understand their purpose and significance, and follow all recommendations for their use.

Other Employees

Finally, other employees are defined as anyone who may be allocated to work in an area where LOTO may be used, but whose work routine is unaffected. These workers must also be trained in electrical control methods.

Periodic Inspections

The HECP is only as good as how it is implemented. To ensure that employees understand and follow proper energy control practices, the employer must conduct a periodic inspection at least once a year. An authorized employee who is not involved in the inspected energy control technique must conduct the inspection and certify the procedures.

The inspection documentation should indicate the machines and devices used in the LOTO process, the date the inspection was completed, the names of employees who participated in the inspection, and the identity of the person who did the inspection.

Safety & Justice For All

One day at work Elizabeth was adjusting load anchor points on a monopole tower, approximately 35 ft above ground level, as part of the additional telecommunication antenna installation. She was wearing a full body harness with a safety climb attachment. As she worked, she connected with one of the live wires. Elizabeth was electrocuted and was disconnected from her anchor points. She fell approximately 35 ft and struck dirt and stone on the ground. She was found later by a coworker, unconscious. Her coworker called emergency services and she was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The electrical current stopped her heart long before she hit the ground.

Even though she was wearing all the proper fall protection equipment she was not wearing the proper electrical protective equipment. One mistake cost her her life. This is why safety training is so crucial to employee safety.

Our Online Training

Here at Hard Hat Training, our online courses were curated to keep learning minds engaged. Everyone involved in the learning process, meaning the employer and the trainees, benefits from using our curriculum.

Employers are able to oversee the progress of their employees who are taking the course. Employees are given the ability to learn at their own pace as well as track their own progress.

How Do I Get My Certificate?

Another great benefit that comes with taking our online course is that as soon as the student passes the final exam, they will be able to receive their certificate immediately. They will be able to download and print it off within minutes.

For more information check out our related articles What Are The Types Of Telecommunications and What Kind Of Job Is Telecom.