PDD Announces Measures To Prevent Accidental Deaths

Field Staff To Be Equipped With PPEs, Safety Helmets And Belts; Insulating Gloves

JAMMU: The Power Development Department on Tuesday announced a slew of measures, including procurement of Personal Protective equipment (PPE) and other safety devices for the field staff with an aim to prevent accidental deaths and injuries to the workforce.

These directions were passed by the Principal Secretary, PDD, Rohit Kansal while discussing the steps being taken by the Department for ensuring safety and security of the field staff

while performing duties in the field, an official spokesperson said Tuesday.

The department, he said, has directed its field offices to immediately focus on relevant safety measures and to ensure that there is no loss of human life.

“As part of this effort, the department has directed both the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporations to ensure that Isolators and earthing rods are provided on every 11 KV feeder in the UT. This shall ensure that the field workers shall remain safe even if there is accidental touching of live lines or equipment and due to accidental charging of lines or equipment during shut down activity,” the official spokesperson said.

He said that for the first time, the PDD has set aside nearly Rs 5 crores for the procurement of PPEs and other

safety devices to be used by the field staff working round the clock to ensure that uninterrupted power supply is provided to all of its consumers.

Divulging more details, the official spokesperson said that the PPE which shall be provided to field workers shall include safety helmets to prevent head injuries due to accidental fall or falling objects or impact with other objects, while insulating gloves shall be provided to prevent electrical shock due to operating rods and operating handles.

“Safety harness / Belt to be provided for fall protection equipment, while working on elevated electrical lines and other equipment and Safety Shoes shall also be provided to prevent foot injury and to provide electrical shock resistance,” he said.

In addition, the Power Department has also issued Standard operating Procedures (SoP) for safe working besides designating safety officers. Set guidelines too have been framed for the field staff to follow while working in the field. Further, mock safety drill of SoP by the field staff under the proper supervision by safety officers would be made a regular feature in all the field offices of Power Department,” he added.

The official spokesperson further said that it was also decided to observe Safety Day every month to make the field workers aware about safety issues by conducting mock safety drills and use of PPE and field safety devices.