Hotter days, higher risks: safety challenges for power line workers

Power grids are becoming increasingly stressed as temperatures rise. June 2024 marked the 12th consecutive month when historic global average temperatures were exceeded by 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate change intensifies extreme heat events, which often follow powerful storms. Soaring temperatures simultaneously cause high demand for power and strain on power supply equipment, increasing outages and creating dangerous working conditions for power line workers. Adapting to this new normal is vital to protect workers and essential infrastructure.

The Situation: Working Under Extreme Heat

Temperature increases and extreme weather events will deepen these challenges, as we saw when a massive heat dome caused blackouts in Oregon and Washington in 2021.

Why power line workers are especially vulnerable

• Their work is often done at heights in conditions that are not shaded.
• Many of them work intensively without air conditioning or water for long periods of time.
• Post-storm work schedules can be demanding with limited time to recuperate between shifts.
• When working alone, they lack access to immediate assistance.

The Big Picture: Lost Productivity and (Potentially) Lost Lives

The data shows climate change-related heatwaves lead to lost productivity and poor health outcomes:

• According to research commissioned by The Atlantic Council, the economic loss from excessive heat is estimated to be at least $100 billion annually—which could double by 2030 and quintuple by 2050.
• Heat illness sickens thousands of workers each year—in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43 workers in the United States died from heat illness, and at least 2,410 others were seriously injured or ill.

Situation Analysis: Extreme Heat, Rising

In the following video, EcoOnline data analyst Callum Reay provides an overview of key metrics around extreme heat and the impact of climate change across parts of the US.

(Sources and notes linked below*)

Key data takeaways

• The Southern United States is already subject to extreme heat, where temperatures can reach above 90°F—temperatures will keep rising under climate change.
• The frequency of heatwaves is increasing significantly across the US.
• Michigan could even see the number of yearly heatwaves double by 2050.
• Extended heatwave durations can turn an acute extreme heat event into a much more sustained and chronic problem for a region.
• This can lead to sustained periods of drought or increase the risk of severe wildfires.
• This places immense pressure on water supplies and potentially poses a threat to life.
• Looking at a middle-of-the-road emissions scenario, in New Mexico heatwave duration is expected to triple from 13 to nearly 40 days by 2025.

Recognising Heat Risks

Power crews and lone workers should be trained to recognise these signs of heat-related illnesses:

• Dizziness
• Lack of concentration
• Shortness of breath

Humid conditions are equally dangerous: The NOAA heat index reports 86°F at 90% humidity is just as dangerous as 96°F at 40% humidity.

Beat the Heat: OSHA Protections for Workers

In 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Labor introduced measures to protect employees from extreme heat.

• Worker safety first: OSHA’s ruling safeguards employees from dangerous heat in both indoor and outdoor workplaces.
• National heat safety programme: Regular inspections and a new heat hazard standard ensure worker well-being.
• Focus on high-risk conditions: Enforcement ramps up when the heat index climbs above 80°F.

OSHA announced in July 2024 a new heat safety ruling aimed at reducing the risks of heat-related illnesses in the workplace.

Preparing for This Situation: Health & Safety Expert Guidance

In the following video, EcoOnline EHS expert and Founder of the Safety Knights community, Branden Raczkowski, provides expert insights on powerline and outdoor worker safety in extreme heat conditions.

3 Takeaways on Worker Safety in Extreme Heat

• Powerline workers should be treated as physical professionals and coached accordingly to ensure they’re prepared for the rigors of working in extreme heat.
• The preparation process should include educating workers about the options for enhancing their safety and encouraging them to give feedback.
• Addressing extreme heat requires a multifaceted approach. This includes reviewing business operations such as work schedules, upgrading safety equipment and enhancing workforce preparedness.

Download the Infographic

Learn More About This Situation

Climate Hubs — USDA

National Integrated Heat Health Information System — HEAT.gov

June 2024 marks 12th month of global temperature reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial — Copernicus

How Future Hurricanes Could Stress Power Grids of U.S. Cities — New York Times

Biden-Harris administration announces proposed rule to protect indoor, outdoor workers from extreme heat — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

What California’s long-delayed indoor heat rule means for workers — CalMatters

It’s Not Just You — Summers Are Getting Hotter. And Longer. https://drexel.edu/uhc/about/News/2024/July/data%20summers%20getting%20longer%20and%20hotter/#:~:text=UHC%20researchers%20also%20noted%20an,are%20getting%20hotter%20and%20longer

Beat The Heat On The Lines This Summer. https://sps.honeywell.com/us/en/support/blog/safety/beat-the-heat-on-the-lines-this-summer

National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/directives/CPL_03-00-024.pdf

Heat Is Killing Us—And the Economy Too. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/the-big-story/heat-is-killing-us-and-the-economy-too/

News Stories We’re Following

Debby, now a tropical storm, soaks northern Florida – Reuters

Beryl: Hurricanes, Power Outages and Heat — CNN

Persistent Heat Wave in the US Shatters New Records — AP

5 Things to Know About Potential Causes of Texas’s Power Crisis — The Hill

Hurricane Season Isn’t Over: Tropical Disturbance Spotted in Atlantic — USA Today

*Notes and Sources

Data Source

• All data has been created by Ecometrica using outputs from the EC-Earth3-Veg-LR model. This model is part of the Phase 6 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6).

Citations

EC-Earth Consortium (EC-Earth) (2020). EC-Earth-Consortium EC-Earth3-Veg-LR model output prepared for CMIP6 historical (v20200217), SSP1-1.9 (v20201201), SSP2-4.5 (v20201123) and SSP5-8.5 (v20201201) experiments. Earth System Grid Federation.

Döscher, R, (et al): The EC-Earth3 Earth System Model for the Climate Model Intercomparison Project 6, Geoscientific Model Development. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2020-446, in review, 2021.