05/29/2026
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE IT JUST KEEPS HAPPENING AND HAPPENING
I have been counting accidents since 2015 and the numbers in that decade plus has not changed
Three fatalities in one week is devastating. And most guys in the trade are asking the same thing right now: when does enough become enough?
It’s not union vs. non-union. A 7-step apprentice or a 30-year hand doesn’t wake up wanting to get hurt. Nobody leaves home thinking they won’t come back. The common thread is that this trade is unforgiving. One shortcut, one rushed decision, one missed briefing, one moment of fatigue, one breakdown in communication — and families are destroyed forever.
The hardest truth is that many of these incidents are preventable. OSHA investigations into lineman fatalities repeatedly point to the same failures: inadequate minimum approach distances, failure to de-energize lines, poor hazard assessments, lack of observers, communication breakdowns, fatigue, and production pressure.
And the pressure in this industry is real:
Storm restoration urgency
Long hours and exhaustion
“Get it done” culture
Pride and complacency mixing together
Young guys afraid to speak up
Experienced guys carrying impossible responsibility
Companies balancing safety with production
None of that excuses deaths. But it explains why they keep happening.
The industry won’t change from arguing over stickers on hard hats. It changes when every crew — union or non-union — decides:
slowing down is acceptable,
speaking up is respected,
near misses are treated seriously,
mental exhaustion matters,
and “we’ve always done it this way” stops overriding safety.
The line trade has some of the best people in the world. Tough, skilled, selfless people. But toughness can also make people ignore burnout, trauma, fatigue, and fear. That combination kills people too.
There are thousands of safe jobs completed every day by linemen across the country, but the fatality rate in construction, electrical work, and utility work remains among the most dangerous occupations in America.
Every fatality leaves behind:
kids without fathers,
wives without husbands,
brothers blaming themselves,
crews replaying the day forever.
The accidents stop when safety becomes more important than pride, speed, image, and production — across the entire trade. And honestly, the conversation needs to stay focused on protecting workers instead of dividing them.
