'Many BESCOM areas lack safety equipment'

Linemen working for the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) often have a risky job. Dealing with electricity, especially during rains and other dangerous conditions, is a must for these employees and according to a safety material audit, most of these linemen do not have proper safety equipment during such work.

The report states that except for Bangalore North, seven other circles of the BESCOM are either lacking in safety equipment or such equipment have not been properly maintained. The report has also checked the safety of 11 kV high tension and low tension cables and mobile transformers which were not as per standards.

After taking note of the audit findings, it was decided at a recent meeting to issue notices to all Superintending Engineers to comply with the requirements immediately. BESCOM will also provide a budget of Rs 12 crore for procuring safety equipment and other materials out of which Rs 8 crore would be sanctioned immediately, officials said.

This budget will also include the installation of a wireless system for communication between staff and the control room. “We will purchase equipment like safety shoes, hand gloves, head torch, safety reflecting jackets, mobile transformers, cranes and other equipment with the funds,” said a senior BESCOM official.

However, training the linemen to use these equipment will also be a daunting task, officials said. “Even if we provide them with the equipment, we will also have to force them to use it initially. They are used to work without it for too long now,” said an Executive Engineer on condition of anonymity.

The monsoon will make it imperative that such equipment are properly used by linemen to safely carry out repairs. Also, as part of their plans, the central stores will function 24 hours till the season ends and at least one store per district will be kept open 24x7.