7 EB staff die in 20 days; questions arise on safety, manpower

AT least seven Tangedco workers, including four wireman, had died of electrocution while attending to power failure complaints in the last 20 days across the state, bringing into focus the risky conditions under which they work and poor safety standards and compliance.

- R KIRUBAKARAN

According to Tangedco staff union sources, victims Anand of Nilgiris, Aththiyappan of Kallakurichi, Selvaraj of Vazhapadi, and Samuthiram of Kadayanallu were wireman, while the other three-Dinesh and Naveen of Tiruppur district and Senthilkumar of Jayankondam were gangmen. While officials said rules regarding the mandatory use of 'safety app' and uploading of photos showing usage of safety gear at work are honoured more in breach than in compliance, workers blame the manpower shortage for rising fatal and nonfatal accidents in the department.

Wiremen and helpers play a vital role in fixing power failures, but a large number of their posts are vacant across TN. This makes the staff force gangmen who are not well-versed in technical work to take up fieldwork, and they are the ones who frequently become victims of accidents.