Ludhiana: Sans safety gear, PSPCL contract worker electrocuted in Sahnewal

This is the second electrocution incident involving Complaint Handling Bike (CHB) workers in Ludhiana within a span of one month, raising concerns over safety practices in the field

A 32-year-old outsourced employee of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) sustained critical injuries after receiving an 11,000-volt electric shock while working on a high-tension power line on Ramgarh road in Sahnewal on Tuesday afternoon.

Officials said had proper safety equipment been used, the severity of the injuries could have been reduced. (HT Photo)

The victim, identified as Harpreet Singh, suffered severe burn injuries to his right hand and left leg and was rushed to PGI Chandigarh, where his condition was stated to be serious, PSPCL officials said.

This is the second electrocution incident involving Complaint Handling Bike (CHB) workers in Ludhiana within a span of one month, raising concerns over safety practices in the field. CHB workers are responsible for redressing complaints registered through the PSPCL’s 1912 helpline.

According to Navjot Singh Dhillon, sub-divisional officer (SDO), Sahnewal, Harpreet Singh had gone to attend a private complaint in the Ramgarh area without informing or seeking permission from the department.

Dhillon said the worker had visited the site unofficially and without following mandatory safety protocols. “CHB workers are required to inform their supervisors so that the power supply to the fault location can be shut before any repair work is carried out. In this case, the protocols were not followed,” he said.

He added that the worker was not wearing any safety gear at the time of the incident. “While working on an electric pole, he came in contact with an 11,000-volt high-tension line. He accidentally touched the transformer fuse connected to the line with his bare hands. After receiving the electric shock, he fell from the pole and sustained severe burn injuries,” Dhillon said.

Officials said had proper safety equipment been used, the severity of the injuries could have been reduced.

Following the incident, PSPCL has instructed CHB workers and their supervisors to strictly adhere to the use of safety kits and standard operating procedures to prevent such accidents in future.

Avtar Singh, west circle head of the Powercom and Transco Contract Workers’ Union, said such incidents continued to occur despite relatively low power demand during the winter season.

“All CHB workers must ensure that the complaints they receive are properly registered with the department and must carry out work on both low-tension and high-tension lines only after following due procedure and using proper safety gear,” he said.

The incident comes close on the heels of another serious accident earlier this month. On January 1, a 44-year-old outsourced PSPCL worker, Gurmeet Singh, employed as a CHB staffer, suffered critical back injuries after receiving an electric shock while working on an 11 kV high-tension line in Baddi Ladian under the Aggar Nagar division (Unit 2).

The 32-year-old CHB staffer suffered severe burns after coming in contact with an 11,000-volt line, admitted to PGI, Chandigarh, in critical condition. Harpreet Singh had gone to attend a private complaint in the Ramgarh area without informing or seeking permission from the department. He also did not follow mandatory safety protocols and was not wearing any safety gear at the time of the incident,” said Navjot Singh Dhillon, sub-divisional officer (SDO), Sahnewal.