Module 1- My First Hard Lesson

It was August 23rd, 2020 at 9:45am. I'll never forget the date of that time. We had a three man crew and by 3 man I mean what it actually does not what companies think it means. Leadman, 2 Journeymen, 2 Hot Apprentices. We had been a crew for quite awhile, really had that good working relationship and trust between the 3 of us. We all knew each other's moves before we made them. We were "the crew". We had a pretty big hardening job. We could isolate a chuck of it but we were gonna do it hot because that's what this trade is. The day before we had sleeved out a set of switches and moved them a span for better access. Again, all hot with no issues. This day, we wanted the apprentices to come up with the plan. Tangent vertical pole with 3 phase break off also vertical on solid. 3 spans outside the sub. Had reclosing off (this circuit did not have hot line tag). Deenergized the break off (it was a tie for another circuit). We went to work. We were the crew that covered well and I mean cover for reach, extend, fall. The 6 foot bubble rule. We changed out the ridge iron and tied the neutral back in (shielded construction). Went down to our 1st phase. One bucket held the phase in the jib, the apprentices untied (journeyman in each bucket with one apprentice). Drove the phase out and the other bucket changed out the hardware and insulator. Drove the phase back in and tied it in. While the phase was being tied back in, the perform tie brushed the blanket that was covering the pole. I told them to not let the tie brush it, keep control. We were getting ready to move down to the next phase and we decided to go ahead and land our pole ground to the neutral. We were covering up well. My thought was you can't always cut the pole ground, we will teach them how to insulate for it. We went down to the next phase and did it the same way. As they were tieing the phase back in, the tie got away from the apprentice in my bucket. The blanket that was covering the pole was a little lower because they had drug the tie across it again. At the split second the apprentice in my bucket made contact with the pole ground, the apprentice in the other bucket started tieing in. I heard something, then the roar. At the split second the tie that got away from my apprentice and made contact with the pole ground, the other apprentice started tieing in. The roar was 795 burning down. The apprentice in the other bucket got the worst of it. He has flash burns on his face and hands. The apprentice in my bucket wasn't as bad though I will never forget her looking at me and I could visibly see her skin falling from around her face. Her face healed, his did not. Both weren't able to finish their apprenticeship and both lives were changed. Mine was to but differently. This was the moment where something changed in me. This all of a sudden became a different job. I had seen burn videos, watched and heard stories, but I had always in some way thought it would never happen on my watch. This job humbled me. From that day until I hang my tools up, I vowed to myself and the both of them, I would do anything and everything in my power to be a voice for change so "Not One More" will have to go through what they did. This is the incident that changed me and why I am that voice that doesn't give a shit who's feelings i hurt and not afraid to call anyone out on bullshit. This is why I am here and as involved as I am.

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