The Job of a Troubleshooter

During outages, you may hear us say, “a Troubleshooter" (or Trouble Man) has been dispatched.  Troubleshooters are linemen who are first on the scene when there’s an outage. When there aren’t outages, their day-to-day work involves dropping service lines for tree trimmers, checking connections for customers with blinking lights, re-fusing poles after disruption from squirrels, etc.

Basically, whenever there is an electric problem, we send a Trouble Man first. (For the record, we currently do not have any women working as Troubleshooter Linemen.)

We caught up with Trouble Man Billy Dunlap, who has been with MLGW for almost 19 years, to talk about his role in a storm. “Let’s say a whole neighborhood is out. I ride down the streets and look for our primary wires until I locate the problem,” he says. “If a pole is broken at the end of the line, often I can cut a jumper and close the switch and get a percentage of the neighborhood back on.”

So, he restores what he can, often in just a few minutes, and then reports the larger issue so that the proper crew can be assigned. In the case above, replacing the pole would take several hours.

Billy continues, “A lot of times, if the line switch is blown and I don’t find anything wrong, then I can switch it back on. Squirrels, coons, birds, all kinds of things regularly blow the switches.”

He says working storms is hard work, but satisfying. “During a storm you feel like you’re really helping people.” The job does have its dangers – live wires, dogs, etc. “Because you are by yourself, you have to be really aware of your surroundings and make sure you’ve done all the required safety measures.”

All in all, Billy believes being a Trouble Man is the best. “You do have to be mentally tough when it storms. However, on pretty days it’s a lot easier than being on the line truck working with hot primary wires,” he says.

To learn more about what a Troubleshooter does, watch the latest episode of “Power Up Memphis.” Gale Jones Carson conducts an in-depth interview with another one of our Troubleshooters, Freddie Mendius. Find the show here: https://youtu.be/JgzS4qAPyr8. 

#MLGW #ServingYouIsWhatWeDo

Electrical Fire Hazards

Electrical fires may be caused by excessive resistance that generates heat from any of the following: 

1) Too much current running through wiring where overcurrent protection fails or does not exist.

2) Faulty electrical outlets resulting in poor contact or arcing.

3) Poor wiring connections and old wiring that is damaged and cannot support the load.

Tips to Avoid Electrical Fires:
 

·         Electrical outlets— Check for loose–fitting plugs, which can be a shock or fire hazard. Replace missing or broken wall plates so wiring and components are not exposed. 

·         Plugs — never force them into outlets. Don’t remove the grounding pin (third prong) to make a three-prong plug fit a two-conductor outlet. Avoid overloading outlets with adapters and too many appliance plugs.

·         Cords — make sure they are not frayed or cracked, placed under carpets or rugs, or placed in high traffic areas. Do not nail or staple them to walls, floors or other objects.

·         Extension cords — Use them on a temporary basis only. They are not intended as permanent household wiring. Make sure they have safety closures to protect young children from shock and mouth burn injuries.

·         Light bulbs — check the wattage to make sure light bulbs match the fixture requirements. 

·        Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) – Make sure GFCIs are installed in your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, workshop, basement and garage as well as on outdoor outlets. 

·         Make sure to only use a Class C or an ABC-rated fire extinguisher to eliminate an electrical fire.

Electric Shock Hazards

We rely on electricity everyday, but sometimes underestimate its capability of causing injury. Even a household current (120 volts) can stop your heart. Employees, homeowners, and community members need to be aware of the hazards electricity poses, such as shock, fire and explosion, and either eliminate or control those hazards. 

Shock 

Electrical shock happens when current passes through the body. Electricity travels through closed circuits, and people, sometimes tragically, can become part of the circuit. When a person receives a shock, electricity flows between parts of the body or through the body to a ground. This can happen if someone touches both wires of an energized circuit, touches one wire of the circuit while standing unprotected or touches a metal part that has become energized.

Tips to Avoid Electric Shock
 

1) Use only equipment that is properly grounded or double-insulated

2) Do not overload outlets;

3) Do not plug multi-outlet bars to other multi-outlet bars;

4) Only use equipment that has been approved by a national testing laboratory;

5) Minimize the use of extension cords.  Do not plug two extension cords together;

6) Do not cover power cords or extension cords with rugs or mats, as this can cause issues with the wires or create potential tripping hazards

7) Do not run electrical cords through pedestrian aisles, as this creates tripping hazards

8) Unplug or disconnect machines before servicing or repairing, and check to make sure the machine is actually disconnected and turned off prior to service

9) Do not ignore warning signs. If an item feels hot, makes an unusual noise (buzz or hum), smokes or sparks, take it out of service immediately and tag it “Do Not Use”

10) Inspect cords and equipment regularly, and report any defects immediately

11) Cover or guard any exposed electrical components or wires, and make sure employees are aware of any hazards

12) At home, install outlet plugs or covers to protect small children

13) Unplug cords from the outlet by gripping the plug.  Do not just pull the cord from a distance

14) Do not use electrical equipment or appliances near water or wet surfaces

15) Never use electrical equipment when your hands or the equipment is wet