The Challenges of Safe Troubleshooting Work
Troubleshooting work presents electrical and other workers with a challenging combination of physical hazards, working conditions, and time pressure, which can lead to unwanted outcomes if not carefully managed. Summaries of several incidents in which workers were injured or at risk of injury while performing troubleshooting work are presented, identifying organizational weaknesses and error precursors that contributed to each incident. The primary challenges include: Deranged equipment. Equipment that needs troubleshooting is not in a normal operating condition. Actions that are safe when the equipment is in a normal state may not be safe in the deranged state. Work planning and control. The steps taken in troubleshooting are most often determined by the results of the immediately previous diagnostic test, making effective work planning challenging. Multiple types of hazards. Most equipment will present a troubleshooting worker with several types of hazards, including hazardous energy as defined in 29 CFR 1910.147. Portions of the troubleshooting activity may be infeasible without these hazards present. Time pressure. Restoring operation of failed equipment often involves an explicit or implicit sense of urgency. There are effective methods for addressing each challenge, most of which require a combination of advance preparation and management commitment.