Bill,
I think I may have said this before, but,
Safety is a personal thing, in that How much you value having your life and other things like having limbs and fingers.
PPE(and it's use) is one thing that I am very hot on, if I see a worker at a site doing something that may injure them and they are not wearing appropriate PPE, I normally have a word with them.
I'm not being silly about this, you wouldn't pull everyone up for just little things, but hand in hand with Safety goes Common-Sense.
When I start a job,that could be hazardous to my personal safety, I do an assessment of the risk, it goes like this:
  • Stand back and take a look at what you are about to undertake, for 5 minutes.
  • Think about how this task can be performed as safely as possible.
  • There are ways around ALL situations, I've "hooked-over" 33kV lines at night, while these were carrying quite a heavy load, it was all done safely and with the minimum of fuss.
  • Think what could happen if you slip with a tool while you are doing this task.(will you need cover-up gear?)
  • Is there a chance that the actual CONNECTION can be done at a different time when the power CAN be shut down.
  • What sort of PPE will you need for the job?.

It's just things like this that have kept me alive over the past few years, in some pretty dangerous situations, but you just have to learn to take it all in your stride.
Sure, I have the right to refuse to do work that I think is too dangerous, but, if you sit down and have good look at the task ahead of you,things don't seem so bad!. [Linked Image]