Stories & Articles
Thanks to the past, we can push towards the future.
The Safeguard Compass is a result of our never-ending push for higher safety standards in the workplace. Influencers of today’s safety technology have a variety of different roots ranging from Charles Dalziel to electroreception in sharks. Read our blogs to learn the history of the industry along with the critical improvements made in employee safety.
3 Common Scenarios Where First Responders Need PVDs
One of the most common questions on the internet is whether or not first responders need PVDs to protect themselves from unexpected electrical contact. Whether it is a car accident or patient retrieval, there will come a time as a First Responder where your job pulls you into a hazardous electrical environment. While these scenarios may seem inevitable, deadly electrical contact can be...
How First Responders can Avoid Electrocution in a Car-Hit-Pole Senario
It’s an unassuming evening. The weather is the clearest it’s been in weeks but inevitably your station gets a call about an accident involving a young family and an electrical pole. The dispatcher mentions leaking gasoline and downed power lines. Your unit responds accordingly, setting a record for response time in the process. Photo taken May 5, 2021 in Shreveport, La. by KTBS When you arrive,...
5 Features We Wish More PVDs Had
Whenever we encounter individuals who work in the power industry, one of the first questions we ask them is if they use personal voltage detectors (ie. PVDs). If they say yes, chances are, they’re using the V-Watch by Greenlee or another kind of PVD. First and foremost, major props for anyone using PVDs in general. No one wants to learn the hard way why electrical safety and the use of PVDs...
6 Reasons Why Firefighters Are at High Risk of Getting Electrocuted
By Julianne Wendt In the name alone, it’s a no-brainer that firefighting is a high-risk job. We could all name off 5 to 10 threats firefighters face on a daily basis, but chances are, none of us would think about electricity. Regardless of our assumptions, most electrocutions are caused by non-electrical workers unintentionally contacting energized sources and firefighters are no exception to...
A Quanta Services Company Confirms: Safeguard COMPASS® Stops Sh*t from Killing You
How a Quanta Services company lineman and crew avoid electrocution On September 2nd, 2020 at approximately 10:32 am in Port Arthur, TX, a Lineman from a Quanta Services company was the subject of another STKY success. Otherwise known as “Sh*t That Kills You,” STKY is a common acronym coined by Quanta Services referring to a scenario in which a life-threatening incident occurs and...
Adjusting COMPASS® Sensitivity Settings
How to adjust the sensitivity settings of Safeguard COMPASS® Once you've turned on your Safeguard COMPASS® and have verified that it is “on” by performing a Live-Dead-Live Test, you can then adjust the sensitivity settings of the device to your preference. To do this, you will first need to check the voltage sensitivity setting your device is currently set to. Hold the main button...
Turning On Safeguard COMPASS®
How to turn on your Safeguard COMPASS® When it comes to turning your Safeguard COMPASS® “on” and verifying that it is “on,” the first thing we need to realize is that it’s a passive device. When the device is turned on, it’s designed to be hunting for those electric fields perpetually and will not produce signals or alerts until it senses an electric field. To turn the device on, press the...
Common L.O.T.O. Mistakes and How to Prevent Them
Common L.O.T.O. Mistakes and How to Prevent Them In 2019 there were 166 injuries caused by exposure to electricity (ESFI, 2021). This number may seem relatively low when compared to the amount of people who work around electricity daily, but it is curious that there are still accidents, even with Lockout/ Tagout (L.O.T.O.) procedures in place. One of the main reasons for such striking...
How PPE Can Save You Thousands
In 2016 alone, an estimated total of $151 billion dollars was spent by the nation, employers, and employees from work-related deaths and injuries. Learn how investing in a robust, ironclad safety program combined with quality personal protection equipment, and training can help streamline overall company expenses and productivity.
Another Utility Lineman’s Life Saved by COMPASS®
Mike Marthers, a utility lineman at Fairfield Electric Co-op shares how Compass™ alerted him of unknown life-threatening voltage and current that he discovered in his work environment.