Over here in New Zealand, there is a re-writing of the rules of Apprentice supervision.
This follows the Electrocution of an Electrical apprentice here, while he was jointing a Network cable and one of the Drop-out fuses were still in, he had Duspol testers with him, but it was unclear wether he knew how to use them correctly.
In the ensuing coroners report and EWRB prosecution, the EWRB found that the Supervisor of Electrical Work (His Boss) never did an adequate Hazard Assessment before leaving the Apprentice to joint the cable, given the apprentices' lack of experience.
This does not say a lot for this guy, but I would like to ask you guys, what would you do if you were to leave a guy doing a job, who has a bit of experience, but you are not sure how far that experience goes?.
How do you guys supervise your young apprentices?.
BTW, I WOULD have checked to see that the cable was dead and that ALL of the DDO's were out, first!.
This young fella died pretty cheaply and needlessly.

In Canada, I heard that a rule exists where an apprentice cannot work on hot circuits unless under the direct supervision of a journeyman.

Any voltage.

The definition of 'direct' to me; means standing right behind him, wearing 'hot gloves' in case I have to pull him away from the 'lesson'.

Pinemarten,
I hear you there!.
I supervise a few apprentices from time to time and a few you just have to keep your eye on, but the majority of them know the ways of the world and it is generally a given thing to test before touch.
The biggest thing about the incident that happened over here was the fact that the guy should never have been working on a Network (Distribution Main) cable, as niether the apprentice or his boss were qualified Line Mechanic's.
What had happened was the fact that an excavator operator had dug up the cable and had snapped it, the Neutral screening had contacted two of the 3 phases in the cable, but the other was still live.
The Electrician, had agreed to fix it for the digger driver, before the PoCo found out.
Damn!!, you'd say!!

This report brings up two aspects of electrical accidents—one practical and one purely administrative, but fast outpacing practical/field matters.

In the US, in the early 90s, OSHA §1910.331-.335 [which, BTW—is a lot of common sense] requires training in aspects of nominal voltage recognition has prevented a lot of accidents, like the type where a tradesman uses a low-voltage electronic-repair-grade multimeter to determine if a 15kV circuit is live or dead. As can be imagined, results can easily be deadly.

The second aspect is that investigators want to scour the “paper trail” [documentation] of training that the injured received. The attitude of many safety officials on the North American continent is that if training is not adequately documented, it did not happen.

Bjarney,
Over here, our Electrical apprentices are trained under a "competence-based" training system, where the apprentice advances only after acquiring certain skills, within a given time-frame during their "time".
The most basic of these skills is identifying different supply systems and how to isolate and lock out energy sources,
IMO, any apprentice that can't do this, is probably better off to stay at home.
Even so, a new apprentice to the Electrical trade over here, is required to work under the supervision of a {quote}Suitably qualified person, that has not less than 2 years qualifying experience in the work that the apprentice is undertaking.{end quote}, this will normally last for the first 18 months of the apprenticeship or until the apprentice can show enough initiative to work on thier own.

Interesting discussion, although having worked as a one-man-band for so many years the question of apprentice supervision isn't one I have to think about too much.

I do remember supervision issues with some of the new guys when I worked with BT (British Telecom). The DC supply busbars around a telephone exchange were probably the area of most concern in day-to-day work. "It's only 50 volts!" was the cry of many newcomers.

In the electronics we had for the satellite links, there was also 28V distribution.

Anyone who scoffed at that as being harmless was taken down one of the equipment bays and shown a large burned patch on the floor, where a tech working on the racks above some years earlier had dropped a wrench across the busbars.

I actually arranged a physical demonstration a couple of times: The demo involved some heavy jumper leads, a coiled length of small-gauge phone wire, and an asbestos mat. You can guess the rest.

Having conducted a fair amount of trade-based education, there are some serious responsibilities and fundamental principles with trainer and trainee interaction in such a teaching relationship.

Then there is the “can’t have your cake and eat it too” aspect of apprentice education. So much of in-vogue ‘educational mechanics’ seems to be that learning should be “fun” to make it interesting for the student to be successful {or even functional.} Clearly it is not always a basic textbook- or classroom-based learning process.

A series of procedures initiating indelible impressions and thought processes are not always strictly or formally defined. A basic tenet of the relationship is that both agree to teach/learn—above all—safe practices, while trying to best impart thorough knowledge of the hazards and acceptable practices of the trade.

In exchange for increased proficiency on the job, there will be some potentially hazardous tasks learned. [Sometimes procedures might be adapted, rationalized or bastardized causing irreversible injury to the apprentice and others.] Hopefully, the end result of the training effort is improved skills and a reduction in taking unnecessary risks. As the formal apprenticeship ends, the trainer will be long held responsible for habits that the apprentice will extend into later subconscious journey-level routines.

A basic, sometimes unfortunate axiom is, “Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it.”




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 10-12-2003).]

Bjarney and others,
I have always been of the school of thought, that what you learn in the first year of your "time", will stay with you for life.
This is when the steepest part of your "Learning Curve" occurs, this is also the time, that I believe that Safety Practices and Good Testing Methods need to be instilled into a Trainee worker, regardless of what arm of Electrical work they are being trained in.
Having come from a background of two Apprenticeships (Electrician first), I would have liked to have had more time working on the Basics of Electrical systems.
This came clear when I done my Liney's Apprenticeship, but there are Sparkies over here that don't even know the difference between Star(Wye) and Delta (Mesh) systems!.
I've heard from the odd Apprentice over here, that the Training system is too much like a McD's meal(all to one recipe) and it does not reflect different workplaces, as in a few places over here, do not wire new houses, but they wire new Commercial buildings, the Training book states, that the work can only be done in a new Residential building?!.
This is just silly, when I done my time, it didn't matter where you did the work, just as long as you did it!.
What are we doing here, training Electricians or breeding race-horses?

save for time served apprenticed to my brother, who tried his best to keep me outta trouble, i've served a fairly unsafe apprenticeship.

this , as i have found, is rather typical and commonplace here.

OSHA regs, 70E, (et all) manner of safety doctrines were items i had to research myself.

I admit , i have a chip on my shoulder on safety issues here,but i come by it honestly.

sparky,
I have to take my hat off to you, although I may not always agree, with your comments, these are ideas built up over a long time of experience, this can NEVER be taken away from a decent Tradesman, which is what you are!.
Call yourself what you will, but, I reckon that any guy that gives thier time to the community, un-paid, especially in an EMS situation, deserves a whopping great pat on the back, I'm talking about you Steve!.

I walked into the funeral home only to stand face to face with the father of the young man that had died. I fully expected to be knocked flat and would have gladly accepted it for not 4 weeks earlier I had used my influence to get him hired. He was GREEN and wanted to show all he could the work and I kept a constant watch and told him all the stories of being knocked on my butt. He was sent to another job 3 weeks into the trade again eager to please. Prior to break one day he was instructed not to go near 2x4 fixtures on a 277v emergency circuit...he came back from break early once again eager to show off and proceeded to try to relocate one of the fixtures mentioned before, I can only assume to show that he could do it, after this young man hit the floor the lives of his wife and children and family would be forever changed.

Please guys always maintain strict safety guidlines at ALL TIMES, and know that accidents do happen. I drove home from the funeral wondering what I could have said to him, showed him to make him understand the hazzards of this trade....I still wonder.

WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tir,
Welcome to ECN, mate!!.
The post that you provided above, rings true with a few of us.
To have an Apprentice die on a worksite is nothing new to me.
I had an Apprentice Line Mechanic killed in the same Sub-station where I was working a few years back as part of a Line Crew.
The workers had just gone back after a Lunch break and even though the area was well sealed off and marked, this guy climbed over the live connections of a 33kV Recloser.
I've never used a Hot-stick so quick, trying to shut down the feeds to this recloser, but it was just too late, flash-over distances are too great at this voltage.
But no-one can even explain why this guy climbed up the wrong switching Pillar!.
I've never let an Apprentice, anywhere near any live HV gear, since, unless I have my full attention on them.
I still have nightmares about this incident, even though I was working seperately from the Line crew, that was installing a new Transformer, I was putting new CT's in the Control Board, the guy wasn't even my Apprentice, but Hey, he's still somebody's boyfriend, son, etc.

Would just like to relate a local situation that occured here yesterday.
A guy that works alone normally, took on an Apprentice on Tuesday and they went to do a job in a house just down from the road from where I live.
Apparently, from what I am told, the Electrician opened the Switch-board up and the Main Phase wire fell out of the Main Switch, the bare end of which landed on the neck/shoulder of the Electrician, he was standing on a set of Aluminium steps that had no rubber feet and it was in direct contact with the concrete floor below, suffice to say, the Electrician could'nt move.
Had his Apprentice not known what was going on, he would be deceased now.
He then ripped the Pillar Box open with a Sledgehammer and killed the supply to the house and then proceeded to administer CPR.
I was responded there, because the Apprentice pulled all 3 Mains fuses in the box and cut power to 2 other houses.
Don't bag the guy for this, though, given the same situation, I'd do the same, Apprentice or not!.
The Electrician is still in hospital, but he is alive, thanks to his new employee.
I had a word to the young fella after the Ambulance left, he apologised profusely for breaking the Pillar box cover, I said that we had about a Million more in the Power Board store!, and not to worry too much about it.
I also gave him a big pat on the back for his actions and told him that all Electrical work is not like this and to encounter this in your first week, is really unusual.
He said he would stick at it, I said good on you mate.
I added that his Boss should get some better ladders, he agreed!.
BTW, the Complaint has been lodged with the EWRB, as to the loose Mains, this guy is renowned for this sort of thing and I want him struck off the Register, It's not right if you can't Torque screws properly!.
{Message edited to add last part }


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 10-31-2003).]

"Good on this guy" for having the presence of mind to cut the power by whatever means were at his disposal.

I agree Paul,
But the Pillar boxes we have here are made to keep vandals out.
If you have to get into one of these things in a hurry, the Sledgehammer is the only real way.
We are supplied with special Security bits that fit into the chuck of your Cordless Drill, but these are only supplied to PoCo employees, to save tampering by errant Electricians, you can't open the box without them.
I've destroyed the odd Pillar box, in real haste to get a house disconnected, mind you, this was before the Natives realised what was happening, new lid on and I was off!.

If you've been in the trades long enough you probably have a story like any of these. (One reason I gave up consturction for maintenance.) Tell the young guy that he deserves a pat on the back from all of us.