With the objective of preventing electricity related accidents during monsoon, the state government has issued fresh guidelines to UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) for attending the faults in power distribution network occurring during monsoon and to adhere to prescribed standards in maintenance work.
UPPCL Chairman M Devraj has issued directives to prevent accidents involving particularly contractual employees of the UPPCL during the monsoon season and has directed officials to ensure strict compliance. The chairman has stated that the training of contractual workers should be organised as soon as possible by scheduling it in each distribution area and at divisional level through the discoms.
As per the predictions of the Meteorological department, Uttar Pradesh is likely to receive heavy rainfall in the coming days. As occurrence of local faults increases during rainfall, increasing the fault liability and consequent increase in risk of accidents, the government has instructed electricity workers involved in distribution to exercise caution and follow specific precautions to prevent accidents. The government has also warned of strict action in case of negligence.
The guidelines include arrangement of safety equipment as per the prescribed safety standards for outsourced personnel deployed through outsourced agencies at each 33/11 KV sub-stations, including helmets, gloves, pliers, safety belt, earth chains and safety shoes, and ensuring that each gang has the necessary safety equipment during line work.
In accordance with the directives, it has been stated that the chief engineers, superintending engineers, executive engineers, assistant engineers, and junior engineers of the distribution divisions will be responsible for inspecting the safety equipment and ensuring its availability as well as provision to the workers by the outsourcing agency.
The respective chief engineer will be responsible for informing the UPPCL headquarters about this through their discoms. If the outsourcing agency fails to provide the safety equipment, the respective Superintendent Engineer will be held responsible. Additionally, the officials concerned will ensure that the outsourced workers use safety equipment.
UPPCL Chairman M Devraj has also warned of strict action as per the rules if negligence is found to be the reason behind an accident. He further directed that wherever such accidents occur, necessary arrangements should be made for the complete care and treatment of the injured employees, and timely payment of the entitled compensation should also be ensured in accordance with the rules.
