An IBEW Lineman here in the U.S. uses top of the line tools and PPE , like you see here, to get their job done efficiently and without compromising safety. But in other places around the world, the right tools and access to information about safety precautions and training aren’t easily attainable.
For this edition of News Briefs, we are highlighting the IBEW member group Electrical Workers Without Borders. This group recently went to the small country of Suriname in South America to bring donated equipment and share their expertise with aspiring line workers.
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Brady Hansen: IBEW Local 77
“For the past three years we have been taking teams to South America to provide training and work with our lineman brothers. Additionally we have had support from people back here in the states who gather donated safety equipment that can be sent to someone in the developing world.”
They shared knowledge about personal protective ground practices, handline use, aerial emergency rescue, pole climbing, rigging, and so much more! There were also some interesting surprised along the way.
Brady Hansen: IBEW Local 77
“Some surprising things were plants that were growing out of electrical conductors, they could grow 2-3 meters to an acre. I’ve never seen sloth removal techniques so in South America sloths have a strong hold and the lineman have developed a technique to remove sloths off the line. It was interesting to the innovations that lineman had come up with to do his job.”
As for more trips to other countries…this is just the beginning for this group and other IBEW groups to follow.
Brady Hansen: IBEW Local 77
“I would like it to grow in a number of ways. I would love for every member of the IBEW to have an opportunity to connect with a brother or a sister in the global village to work along side them, share knowledge, share solidarity and share a deeper understanding for the human experience.”
Hansen believes that electrical worker should be responding to natural disasters and that members should rise up in solidarity and human compassion by participating in electrical restoration.
Brady Hansen: IBEW Local 77
“Engineers have done it, doctors have done it, scholars, artists, poets…It’s time electrical workers do it!”
If you want to get more information and learn about Electrical Workers Without Borders, please go to www.ewwbna.org.
Thanks for watching and be sure to follow us on all of our social media accounts. For IBEW Hour Power News Briefs, I’m Erica McClaugherty.
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