Utilities & Telecoms Staff Protected by Peoplesafe

Your staff face significant risks in the workplace, including working with the public, working at height and operating dangerous machinery. These are some of the common job roles we support and risks our service helps to mitigate:

Field Engineers

There are multiple types of engineers in the field, working alone majority of the time, while traveling to and from appointments, visiting homes, and working with dangerous materials (e.g. electricity).

Water Treatment

Working across rural and remote sites connectivity can be a real issue. They also face risks of working near water where the hazards are often electrical due to the combination of power and water systems.

Network Maintenance

Potentially working at height climbing utility poles or working across uneven terrains fixing existing cables or laying new infrastructure. Exposed to the natural elements as well as public abuse and aggression.

Environmental Services

Workers in these teams face exposure to hazardous materials and substances. They are susceptible to a range of risks including carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and even explosions in extreme circumstances.

Risks for Utilities & Telecoms Staff

Low Risks

Travelling between appointments or locations
Lone working admin staff
Taking public transport or walking home after work

Mid-Level Risks

Verbal abuse and threats
Working in remote areas
Using hazardous substances
Health incidents
Struck by a moving vehicle

High Risks

Falls from height
Violence and aggression
Entering people's homes
Confined spaces
Dangerous equipment and materials

Fatal lone worker incident

South West Water were fined £1.8 million after a lone worker drowned when he fell in to a filtration tank.

The man was working alone when he attempted to fix a fault with the tank. He removed a grill on the tank, and had to lean inside to unblock a filter. He fell through the hole, and was found face down in 6.5ft (2m) of water.

Upon sentencing, the judge said: "The dangers of falling into tanks was pointed out to South West Water on a number of occasions, and the fact that something needed to be done. No correct risk assessment for the procedure had been done. This was an accident waiting to happen."