|
MIND YOUR SAFETY EB January 2009 |
|
|
|
| A litany of limbs |
|
Monday, 16 March 2009 |
By Dave Smith
Back in October, I told you about a friend of mine, Curt, who had just left his local lineman job for a dream job in a small mountain city when he was severely injured while working on a 14.4kV line. At the time of writing, you’ll recall, Curt’s gloves were burned onto his hands and his cell phone burned into his leg. And while I sit here at my computer typing things like, “Do this” or “Don’t do that” in my columns, perhaps it’s best for you to hear from Curt himself about this incident and his life afterward.
Maybe we can all learn a little something about working with lethal energy.
It happened
September 13 around 2:30 p.m. The job was to string in a new
three-phase 25kV (14.4kV to ground) overhead line to feed a new water
plant. After 10 years in the powerline trade this job wasn’t a huge or
complicated job. The substituting foreman and I went up in the bucket
to dead-end the wires and crimp on riser wires.
While tying in a wire, I remember thinking to myself: Be careful... watch the wire you’re holding.
All of a
sudden I was stuck to the wire and couldn’t let go. I realized I was
being electrocuted. The foreman had contacted the energized 14.4kV line
with his forearm. He was somehow touching my back with his other arm,
so the electricity went into my back and exited through my hands.
The exit
wound is always the worst. I peered down at myself for a split second
and knew that something bad had happened. Conscious during the whole
electrocution, I felt very helpless and scared. My hands felt like they
were on fire. Words can’t begin to describe the pain.
All I could think about was my wife and kids, and how I didn’t want to die.
I was rushed
to the hospital where they stabilized me. I remember seeing my wife,
Dani (Danielle), after the incident, and we both started to cry. We
were so glad I was alive. I was then flown to the burn hospital, where
I stayed nearly nine weeks and underwent seven major surgeries.
I came close
to death three times. First, the incident itself; many doctors and
professionals say that my health and age saved my life. Second, I
suffered a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in my lung). And at one
point I was rushed into emergency surgery because of severe bleeding
after a main artery in my left arm burst.
I can’t explain how glad I am that I am going to get to see my kids grow and continue through life with Dani.
On October
23, I received the worst news I could possibly hear, and was faced with
a major decision. My surgeon told me that the damage in my left wrist
area was more severe than originally thought. My median nerve was
separated; my ulnar nerve, though intact, looked like mush. The bone
was badly burnt and my tendons looked worse.
The surgeon
explained I had two options. I could do nothing, in which case my left
hand would have very little mobility, little to no feeling, and I would
never truly be able to engage in sports again. The second option was to
remove the hand and get a prosthesis.
It was the
hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. Dani and I cried for days and
weeks about it. While the prosthetic hand is the best piece of
technology available, it can never replace the hand with which I was
born.
I wake up every day thinking—hoping—that this has all been just a terrible dream.
The
grief is evident in Curt’s words, as well as those from other
tragedies. High voltage robbed Paul Hiebert of both feet and an arm,
while a Nova Scotian lost both his feet and arms—and still regrets that
he lives. When low voltage took Zane Lundell’s left hand, it ended his
guitar playing.
Ever
since Edison turned on the power, electrical workers have risked their
limbs and lives for the comfort, convenience and profit of others. It’s
high time this changed.
Until next time, be ready, be careful and be safe.
Note
An
education fund has been established for Curt and Dani’s children.
Contributions can be sent to Curt, c/o Canada Training Group, 102 First
Avenue, Turtleford, SK, S0M 2Y0.
Dave Smith is president of CANADA TRAINING GROUP and has been providing consulting services to industry since 1980.
|
