Unitil Lineworkers Simulate Critical Pole-Top Rescues

Unitil lineworkers recently took time out of the workday to drill one of the most important emergency safety scenarios a crew must prepare for: a pole-top rescue.

As part of an annual training exercise, lineworkers performed rescues in real-world scenarios to practice procedures and critical response capabilities in the event of an emergency involving a coworker atop a utility pole.

The exercises were held at Unitil's electrical operations facilities in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and gave lineworkers an opportunity to put their skills into action by gearing up, climbing a pole and safely lowering a rescue dummy simulating an injured worker. Once the dummy was brought to the ground, the fellow worker could perform critical life-saving procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

"We try to do this in a four-minute timeframe. The whole idea is to get oxygen to the brain and start CPR on your coworker. We hope you'll never have to do that, but we want to make sure that everybody's qualified and able to do that every year," said Patrick Aquilina, who serves as Manager of Electric Operations at Unitil's Seacoast facility in Exeter, N.H.

While such emergencies involving an unresponsive or unconscious coworker are not common, Aquilina said it's critically important for crews to know how to respond quickly and effectively.

"If one of our lineworkers had to climb - with our modern equipment a lot of times they don't have to - but there are situations where we have to climb a pole and all of our guys are equipped with the proper gear to do so. Whenever you're climbing you want to make sure you have another qualified lineworker working with them. If they were to get into a situation where there was electrocution or they were hurt in any kind of situation on the pole and they could not safely get themselves down, their coworker will be able to climb the pole, perform the rescue, and lower them down," he said.

Unitil, a provider of electricity, natural gas, and water to customers in New England, conducts pole-top rescue drills annually as part of its commitment to safety in the workplace.

"Fortunately these types of emergencies are a rare occurrence, but we understand the hazards that come with electrical linework and the importance of ensuring that our line crews are prepared to respond if they ever encounter a potentially life-threatening emergency involving a coworker in the field," Unitil External Affairs Manager Amanda Vicinanzo said. "Pole-top rescue is a vital skill that, if performed properly, could greatly increase the chances of a favorable medical outcome."