Customer
Duke Energy
Location
South Carolina
Highlights
-
Outage Averted by Timely Intervention -
Work Zone Awareness Expanded Beyond the Scope -
STAR Behavior and Visual Discipline Reinforced
Securing the Span: How a Tie Wire Slip Was Caught Before Causing an Outage
The Challenge
During a site arrival and assessment, a crew was actively working from two bucket trucks set up on adjacent poles. One bucket was positioned at the last ,pole of the current job, where the conductor was being temporarily held mid layout. The second bucket was near an older existing pole directly adjacent.
As the team moved conductor to continue the layout, the conductor slipped out of the insulator saddle on the older pole. The issue was caused by a partially failed tie wire, which allowed the conductor to slide halfway down the insulator. Fortunately, the remaining tie wire held just long enough for the crew to respond and prevent a conductor drop or outage.
Conditions That Contributed to the Moment
As the team moved conductor to continue the layout, the conductor slipped out of the insulator saddle on the older pole. The issue was caused by a partially failed tie wire, which allowed the conductor to slide halfway down the insulator. Fortunately, the remaining tie wire held just long enough for the crew to respond and prevent a conductor drop or outage.
Conditions That Contributed to the Moment
- The adjacent structure was older and not part of the active task scope.
- Tie wire degradation or improper tie-up had not been identified prior to conductor movement.
- The conductor tension during layout shifted load to the neighboring pole unexpectedly.
The Solution
Upon recognizing the hazard, the crew took the following steps:
- Secured the Conductor: The crew stabilized the conductor and prevented further slippage or contact with grounded elements.
- Hazard Shared and Escalated: The crew lead advised all workers to visually inspect tie wires and conductor seating on adjacent poles before moving the conductor again.
- Best Practice Recommendation: Going forward, adjacent poles are now treated as part of the work zone when tensioning or laying out a conductor-especially on end spans.
Key Benefits
- Outage Prevented: Early observation and response prevented a potential conductor drop or energization issue.
- Tie Wire Integrity Emphasized: Field crews were reminded to assess not just visible conductor but its entire anchoring system.
- Expanded Pre-Task Awareness: Reinforced the practice of checking beyond the “active” structure for hazards.
- STAR Behavior in Action: Demonstrated real-world use of the “Stop, Think, Act, Review” process to mitigate risk.
The Results
- No outages, damage, or injuries occurred.
- Conductor was safely secured in a matter of minutes.
- This event is now shared as an example of proactive hazard identification and tie wire inspection best practices.
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