Turvatikas Safety Ladder has been protecting the power lines of Fingrid, Finnish national grid for more than two decades. Transparency and common goal of taking care of employees’ safety are the key factors behind the strong partnership.
The national grid company Fingrid ensures the balance of electricity consumption and production in Finland. Fingrid, like Eltel, is a critical security of supply company that secures electricity supply for its customers and the society. While Fingrid enables electricity transmission, it also wants to act as an example in the field of occupational safety. We met with Fingrid's local supervisor Risto Uusitalo, who is responsible for the cooperation between Fingrid and Eltel regarding Turvatikas fall protection system.
"Safety is reflected in everything we do at Fingrid. Over the past ten years, the importance of safety has increased and attitudes towards occupational safety have changed. Everyone has the right to stay healthy and get home safely. This is the message we want to emphasize to our partners. Occupational safety is not seen as a cost, but as a right. This means that we will spend as much time on the job as is required to perform it safely."
When it comes to national grid, the construction phase of the network is the riskiest, in terms of occupational safety. During the construction phase, safety risks can be reduced in many different ways; one of which is fall protection. While constructing the network, the power line masts are climbed repeatedly and the risk of employee injury increases. Fingrid has minimized the risk by installing Safety Ladder on the mast while it is still on the ground as elements. After erecting the mast, installers can immediately climb safely to perform their work. Turvatikas Safety Ladder also enables several people to climb the mast simultaneously.
Risto Uusitalo highlights that Turvatikas Safety Ladder system has significantly increased the safety during network construction and maintenance. In addition, he points out the ease of use of the system, which is also major part of its security.
"The simpler it is for the installers to use the system, the more likely it is to be used. This is an important consideration when talking about safety culture", he states.
How did the Finnish national grid company Fingrid end up choosing Turvatikas as its fall protection system?
The official start of the cooperation dates back to 2007. One of the reasons for the start of the cooperation was that Fingrid wanted to acquire its own fall protection. Risto Uusitalo sends his regards to his predecessor Ari Levula, who was strongly involved in this project.
Uusitalo is satisfied with the relationship between Turvatikas and Fingrid. He describes the cooperation with Turvatikas as an interactive partnership, where the customer and the supplier develop better solutions together. Turvatikas designs customer-specific solutions, such as custom-made fasteners for various mast types.
"By working together, we get the most functional solution that fits our needs. An example of a jointly developed solution is an ordering portal for contractors, which facilitates the preparation of large orders into batches and saves our time. Another great example is packaging per tower, which reduces unnecessary excess products," says Uusitalo.
Fingrid’s vision for the future is to connect renewable energy to the grid and ensure its responsible connection. Wind power enables Finland better self-sufficiency in energy production. One example would be the construction of a line connecting OX2 wind farm in Lestijärvi to the national grid. The power line is equipped with approx. 10 km of Turvatikas Safety Ladder. Another example of strengthening the national grid is Aurora Line, which is being built from northern Finland to Sweden. Aurora Line will hold nearly 20 kilometers of Turvatikas Safety Ladder.
As the grid continues to strengthen, Turvatikas Safety Ladder is installed on power lines all over Finland, and the development of occupational safety continues.
When considering his own tips for safe working, Uusitalo states: "Always think: what can I do to ensure a safe way of working?" In the end, he gives an excellent piece of advice:
"Check the risks, choose the safest way.”