Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
The Kerala State Electricity Board has reported that 163 linesmen lost their lives while on duty in the last 9 years. This year already 10 linesmen have died on duty.
Of the 163 workers who lost their lives, 65 are Board employees, and 98 are contract employees.
The main reasons for death of workers are electrocution and falling off poles. 102 workers died of electrocution of which 46 were Board employees and 56 were contract employees.
43 deaths were because of either falling off the electric poles or buildings or due to broken poles or towers.
So many workers are losing their lives primarily because of shortage of electricity workers and linesmen. If six workers are needed in an electrical section, only one or two are provided. This forces workers to carry out repairs in haste to take care of the numerous complaints which often ends up in disregard of safety measures.
The Kerala State Electricity Board is disregarding the safety of the workers. Till 2009 there was a centralised system where in linesmen were assigned to a particular area. So they were familiar with the electric lines in that area. Later this system was replaced by a “Model System” where linesmen are given different transformers and electric lines every day about which they have little knowledge.
It is clear that this “Model System” is not working and there is a need to increase the staff and provide proper safety equipment and training to save precious lives of workers.