1 Hetch Hetchy Water & Power
HH-1007 Transmission Lines 7/8
Upgrades
Margaret Hannaford, Division Manager
Hetch Hetchy Water and Power
Services of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Overview of Hetch Hetchy Water and
Power Assets: Location
2 Hetch Hetchy Water and Power
Transmission Lines
3 Lines 7/8
4 Our Single Line
5 HPH
KPH
WSS
Existing 230 kV
Existing 115 kV
MID’s
Standiford
PG&E’s
Wilson
PG&E’s
Bellota
Riverbank
(load)PG&E’s
Newark
MSY ISY
MPH &
MLH
TID’s
Oakdale
/
Oakdale Warnerville
Moccasin
Holm/
K’wood
3 Miles
Newark
70 Miles
30 Miles
50 Miles
Riverbank
5 Miles
Lines 1/2
Lines
9/10/11
Line 8
Line 3
Calaveras
Substation
Line 4
Line 7
Lines 5/6
Normal
Direction
Normal
Direction
Single or multiple
transformers
.
Why we are reconductoring?
6 HPH
KPH
WSS
Existing 230 kV
Existing 115 kV
MID’s
Standiford
PG&E’s
Wilson
PG&E’s
Bellota
Riverbank
(load)PG&E’s
Newark
MSY ISY
MPH &
MLH
TID’s
Oakdale
/
Oakdale Warnerville
Moccasin
Holm/
K’wood
3 Miles
Newark
70 Miles
30 Miles
50 Miles
Riverbank
5 Miles
Lines 1/2
Lines
9/10/11
Line 8
Line 3
Calaveras
Substation
Line 4
Line 7
Lines 5/6
Normal
Direction
Normal
Direction
Single or multiple
transformers
Generation from
new renewables
(Fresno and
Kern counties)
Mitigation Project
• 21 Developers
• Mitigation project cost is $33.3 million
• Status
• 11 signed agreements, valued at $20.67 million
• Last two weeks, consensus on 5 additional
agr
eements reached for $7.9 million
• Brings us to 16 agreements at about $28.6 million
7 DEPARTMENT
Hetch Hetchy Water and Power
AGENDA NO.
18 MEETING DATE
June 28, 2022
APPROVAL:
COMMISSION
SECRETARY
Donna Hood
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Construction Award: Regular Calendar
Contract Manager: Thomas Walker
Award Contract No. HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Summary of
Proposed
Commission
Action:
Approve the plans and specifications , and award Contract No. HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades , in the amount of $23,980,141, and with a duration of 668 consecutive calendar days (approximately one year and 10 months), to the responsible bidder that submitted the lowest responsive bid, Wilson Utility Construction Company, to upgrade existing conductors and modify existing towers along Transmission Line 7/8 to accommodate additional transmission power flows and mitigate clearance hazards.
Background: There are hundreds of proposed electric generating projects that seek to interconnect with the electric transmission system controlled by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). The CAISO studies the proposed projects in groups, called “Clusters,” to identify the impacts of the projects on the electrical grid.
Hetch Hetchy Water and Power has an approved mitigation project to reconductor Warnerville to Standiford 115 kV Transmission Lines 7/8. The project is necessary to mitigate the impacts to the City’s electric system, specifically Transmission Lines 7/8, caused by the interconnection of electric generating projects to the electric grid.
The objective of the project is to upgrade existing conductors and modify existing towers along Transmission Line 7/8 to accommodate additional transmission power flows. The work will be in Stanislaus County, California.
Description of
Scope of Work:
The contract work location extends from the Warnerville Substation, located in Oakdale, CA to the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Standiford Switchyard, located in Modesto, CA. The contract work consists of:
• Reconductor approximately 12.5 miles of 2-circuit (Line 7/8), 3-phase (1 wire / phase), 115kV power transmission line from the Warnerville Substation to the MID Standiford Substation including replacement of all insulators, hardware, and all ancillary items per project plans and specifications;
Contract: HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: June 28, 2022
• Development, implementation, and maintenance of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Protection and Erosion / Sediment Control; • Structural concrete modifications to tower foundations as indicated in the Contract Documents;
• Structural retrofit and repairs at select towers as indicated in the Contract Documents;
• Tower modifications to raise upper portion of towers to heights of either 9’ or 16’ at select locations as indicated in the Contract Documents;
• Provide access to all transmission towers, including gravel road grading or road stabilization, temporary bridging or matting, protection of existing underground or overhead utilities, and temporary protection or relocation of existing drainage or irrigation ditches; • Provide traffic control, temporary facilities, general conditions, supervision, and all other temporary items to properly execute the work as indicated in the Contract Documents;
• Provide temporary guard structures to support the removal of conductors and installation of new conductors across roadways, railways, bike paths, irrigation ditches, and other public or private facilities that may cross the City’s right of way alignment; and • Site restoration including hydroseed and broadcast seeding areas disturbed by construction activities and restoration of site to pre- existing conditions.
Budget & Costs: Funding: Project No. 10035721 Hetch Hetchy Water & Power’s 10 -Year Capital Improvement Program , T ransmission Line 7/8 Upgrades . Funding includes capital program bond funding and mitigation payments from renewable generation developers.
Engineer’s Estimate: $28,000,000
Award: $23,980,141
Schedule: Estimated Notice-to-Proceed Date: October 01, 2022 Estimated Completion Date: July 31, 2024
Contract Duration: 668 consecutive calendar days (approximately one year and 10 months) (578 consecutive calendar days to Substantial Completion and an additional 90 consecutive calendar days to Final Completion)
Compliance with
Chapter 14B: Local
Business Enterprise
Utilization and
Non-Discrimination
in Contracting
Ordinance:
Set: The Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) established a Local Business Enterprise (LBE) subcontracting requirement of 10% for this contract.
Submitted: The contractor, Wilson Utility Construction Company, committed to 15.22% LBE participation in its bid.
Environmental
Review:
On November 8, 2010 the Planning Department adopted the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Rehabilitation of the Existing San Joaquin Pipelines Project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Case No. 2007.1129E). On December 14, 2010, by Resolution N o. 10-0221, this Contract: HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: June 28, 2022
Commission approved the Rehabilitation of the Existing San Joaquin Pipelines Project and a dopted the CEQA findi ngs and the Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program as required by the CEQA. On November 10, 2021, the Environmental Review Officer approved an Addendum to the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration to include work associated with the HH-1007 Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades Project (Modified Case N o. 2020-007415ENV), determining that no new mitigation measures would be needed and, therefore, that no additional environmental review is necessary beyond this Addendum.
The Final Mitigated Negative Declaration, Addendum, Resolution No. 10-0221, CEQA Findings, and Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program can be found here:
https://sfpuc.sharefile.com/d-s1a3b867ab5524de4a1b3c0f1282e3fb5
Bid History: Advertised: February 11, 2022
Bids Received: On March 24, 2022, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) received and publicly opened three bids.
Bid Rank Bid
Amount
Compensable
Delay
Adjusted
Bid
Final
Rank
1. Wilson
Utility
Construction
Company
$23,980,141 $40,000 x 45
CD =
$1,800,000
$25,780,141 1
2. Anvil
Builders, Inc.
$30,840,436 $3,000 x 45
CD =
$135,000
$30,975,436 2
3. Sierra
Mountain
Construction,
Inc.
$42,398,036 $1 x 45
CD =
$45
$42,398,081 3
Application of bid preferences do not apply to this contract as the engineer’s estimate is in excess of $10,000,000.
Recommendation: SFPUC staff recommends that the Commission adopt the attached resolution.
Attachments: 1. CMD Memorandum
2. Post Bid Clarifications
Contract: HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: June 28, 2022
Project Site Map
Contract: HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: June 28, 2022
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, Hetch Hetchy Water and Power has an approved mitigation project to reconductor Warnerville to Standiford 115 kV Transmission Lines 7/8. The project is necessary to mitigate the impacts to the City’s electric system, specifically Transmission Lines 7/8, caused by the interconnection of electric generating projects to the electric grid. The objective of the project is to upgrade existing conductors and modify existing towers along Transmission Line 7/8 (in Stanislaus County) to accommodate additional transmission power flows; and
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has an approved mitigation project to reconductor Warnerville to Standiford 115 kV Transmission Lines 7/8, that is necessary to mitigate the impacts to the City’s electric system caused by the interconnection of electric generating projects to the electric grid; and
WHEREAS, On February 11, 2022, the SFPUC advertised Contract No. HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades; and
WHEREAS, The Engineer’s Estimate is $28,000,000 for th e work of Contract No. HH -1007, Transmission Line 7/9 Upgrades; and
WHEREAS, The contract duration is 668 consecutive calendar days; and WHEREAS, On March 24, 2022, the SFPUC received and publicly opened three bids; and
WHEREAS, SFPUC staff and Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) review ed the bids for responsibility, responsiveness and application of bid preferences and determined that Wilson Utility Construction Company, (“Wilson”) the responsible bidder that submitted the lowest responsive bid; and WHEREAS, CMD established a 10% Local Business Enterprise (LBE) subcontracting participation requirement for this contract, and Wilson committed to 15.22% LBE participation in its bid; and
WHEREAS, Funds are available from Project No. 10035721 Hetch Hetchy Water & Power’s 10- Year Capital Improvement Program , Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades , including capital program bond funding and mitigation payments from renewable generation developers; and
WHEREAS,
On November 8, 2010, the Planning Department adopted the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Rehabilitation of the Existing San Joaquin Pipelines Project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Case No. 2007.1129E); and
WHEREAS, O n December 14, 2010, by Resolution N o. 10-0221, this Commission approved the Rehabilitation of the Existing San Joaquin Pipelines Project and adopted the CEQA findings and the Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program as required by the CEQA; and
WHEREAS, On November 10, 2021, the Environmental Review Officer approved an Addendum to the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration to include work associated with the HH-1007 Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades Project (Modified Case N o. 2020-007415ENV), determining that no new mitigation measures would be needed and, therefore, that no additional environmental review is necessary beyond this Addendum; and
Contract: HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: June 28, 2022
WHEREAS, The Planning Department is the custodian of records, located in Case No. 2007.1129E and Modified Case No. 2 020-007415ENV, at 49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1400, San Francisco, California; and
WHEREAS, The Project files, including the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration, Addendum to the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration , Resolution No. 10-0221, CEQA Findi ngs, and the Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program have been made available for review by this Commission and the public, and those files are part of the record before this Commission; and WHEREAS, This Commission has reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration, Addendum to the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration, Resolution No. 10-0221, CEQA Findings, and the Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program, and all written and oral information provided by the Planning Department, the public, relevant public agencies, SFPUC and other experts and the administrative files for the Project; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, This Commission has reviewed and considered the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Addendum and the record as a whole and finds that they are adequate for its use as the decision–making body for the Project and incorporates the CEQA Findings contained in Resolution No.
10-0221 by this reference thereto as though set forth in this Resolution; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, This Commission further finds that since the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and Addendum were finalized, there have been no substantial project changes an d no substantial changes in project circumstances that would require major revisions to the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration or the Addendum due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or an increase in the severity of previously identified significant impacts, and there is no new information of substantial importance that would change the conclusions set forth in the Final Mitigated Negative
Declaration and Addendum; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby approves the plans and specifications and awards Contract No. HH-1007, Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades, in the amount of $23,980,141, for a duration of 668 consecutive calendar days, to the responsible bidder that submitted the lowest responsive bid, Wilson Utility Construction Company,
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of June 28, 2022.
Secretary, Public Utilities Commission
London N. Breed, Mayor
Carmen Chu, City Administrator
Romulus Asenloo, Director
1155 Market Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
Telephone (415) 581-2310 Fax (415) 581-2351
CONTRACT MONITORING DIVISION
CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE
Date: April 29, 2022
To: Jeff Wasserloos, Project Manager, SFPUC
Thomas Walker, Project Manager, SFPUC
From: Vivian Liu, Contract Compliance Officer, CMD
Subject: HH-1007 Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades-CMD Review
The Contract Monitoring Division (“CMD”) has reviewed the Bids submitted for the above referenced project, applied the appropriate bid discounts, and determined responsiveness to the Chapter 14B pre- award requirements. An LBE subcontracting participation requirement of 10% was established for this project. The requirement is less than 20% because a large portion of work is comprised of procuring specialized electrical materials and equipment. The project also requires Electrical (C-10) licensed contractors specifically experienced in high voltage overhead electrical work. In addition, the location of the project is remote and there are limited subcontracting opportunities for the remainder of work that will not be performed by the Electrical (C-10) contractor. Below is a summary of CMD’s review.
Bidder Status Base Bid Compensable
Delay
Total Bid
with
Compensable
Delay
LBE Bid
Discount
Adjusted
Bid with
LBE Bid
Discount
Wilson Utility
Construction Co. Non-LBE $23,980,141.00 $40,000.00 $25,780,141.00 N/A $25,780,141.00 Anvil Builders, Inc. Non-LBE $30,840,436.00 $3,000.00 $30,975,436.00 N/A $30,975,436.00 Sierra Mountain
Construction, Inc. Non-LBE $42,398,036.00 $1.00 $42,398,081.00 N/A $42,398,081.00
Wilson Utility Construction Co. (“Wilson”) is the lowest responsive bidder. Wilson met the 10.00% LBE subcontracting participation requirement by listing the following LBE firms on its Section 00 43 36 (Subcontractor List):
LBE
Subcontractor
Scope of
Work Status Listed
Amount
Amount
Credited
Participation
(based on
credited amount)
CMC Traffic
Control
Specialist
Traffic
Controls
SF LBE-
WBE
(small)
$319,900.00 $0.001 0.00%
Mountain
Methods, Inc.
Foundation
Retrofit
PUC LBE-
MBE
(micro)
$2,988,900.00 $2,878,680.002 12.00%
Team EES, Inc.
Hydroseed
and
Environmental
PUC LBE-
OBE
(micro)
$101,800.00 $101,800.00 0.42%
Power
Construction,
Inc.
Dirt Disposal
& Foundation
Retrofit
SF LBE-
OBE
(micro)
$671,000.00 $0.003 0.00%
Basset
Engineering
Material
Disposal
SF LBE-
OBE
(micro)
$0.00 $671,000.004 2.80%
TOTAL $4,081,600.00 $3,651,480.00 15.22%
1 CMC Traffic Control Specialist (“CMC”) will not receive LBE sub participation credit for performing traffic control scope of work as CMC is not CMD certified as a Small/Micro-LBE in the Construction Traffic Control Services (C-31) category. 2 Wilson confirmed a clerical error on Mountain Methods, Inc.’s (“MMI”) bid. Form 6 and bid quote from MMI confirmed $2,878,680 as the correct sub agreement amount.
3 Power Construction, Inc. (“PCI”) will be subcontracting out 100% of their work to Basset Engineering. PCI will manage Basset as a lower tiered subcontractor.
4 Per the SFPUC, removal of spoils is a distinct scope of work billable under Bid Item 18 and the work can be performed by a General Engineering A or trucking & hauling firm. Basset Engineering (“Basset”) will be utilizing its own labor force and equipment to gather, load, and off haul excess soils excavated/generated from foundation retrofit under their General Engineering A license.
Wilson also listed the following non-LBE subcontractors on Section 00 43 36:
Non-LBE Subcontractor Scope of Work Status Listed Amount S2S Environmental SWPPP QSD Non-LBE $278,260.00
Ninyo & Moore Concrete & Soils Testing Non-LBE $76,333.00 OneSource Supply
Solutions
Provide Wires & Line
Hardware Non-LBE $8,337,882.39
QB Fabrication &
Welding Tower Steel Non-LBE $246,526.51
TOTAL $8,939,001.90
Based on the foregoing, CMD has determined that Wilson has complied with the pre-award Chapter 14B requirements. Should you have any questions, or if I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at (415) 551-4814.
06/15/22 Rev. 000
Wilson Utility Construction Co.
POST BID CLARIFICATIONS
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
HH-1007 Line 7 & 8 Transmission Project
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Attn: Greg Lyman
Contract Manager
Re: Bid Advisory – Foundation for Fair Contracting & Local 261
Mr. Lyman:
Wilson Construction Company (Wilson) is providing the following details and attachments in response to the letters received by SFPUC from the Foundation for Fair Contracting and Local 261 regarding the Hetch Hetchy Line 7 & 8 Transmission Project.
NON-RESPONSIVE BID PROVIDED/FAILURE TO INCLUDE COMPLETED SCHEDULE OF BID PRICES Pricing was provided for all line items. This has been vetted by SFPUC.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH BID SPECIFICATIONS/UNFAIR COMPETITVE ADVANTAGE Wilson provided a fair price to complete the work, Wilson did NOT provide a list of clarification and exceptions with its proposal and is fully committed to completing the work as stated and required within the specification documents.
In addition, Wilson had drafted a letter, to be issued following award, stating its compliance with the prevailing wage requirements of the project. Please find attached letter detailing the IBEW Local 1245 outside line agreement wages planned to be paid, as compared to the required Prevailing Wage Rates. (Exhibit 1)
COMPENSABLE DELAY COSTS EXCESSIVE BEYOND REASON
Wilson calculated its daily delay cost based upon a worst -case scenario where a day of delay was incurred during construction of the most critical portion of the project . To properly complete th is work on time and on schedule , a crew size between 25-30 personnel, and approximately 50-pieces of equipment will be required. These personnel and equipment were evaluated to calculate the per day delay cost that would be experienced.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE REQUIRED APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FUND CONTRIBUTIONS Wilson does contribute to many apprenticeship training funds including the California -Nevada Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (Cal-Nevada JATC). Wilson is a member in good standing with the Western Line Constructors Chapter Incorporated which contributes to management oversight to the Cal -Nevada JATC as well as payment processing services. Wilson’s membership and contributions can be verified and confirmed at the link below under “Chapter Members”.
https://www.westernlineneca.org/apprenticeship_programs.html
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND FORMAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS During the bid phase of the project, Wilson reached out to seve nteen (17) LBE certified vendors. Wilson’s proposal exceeded the 13.5% requirement for LBE participation and was more than 1 5% of the proposal pricing. These
Wilson Utility Construction Co. POST BID CLARIFICATIONS
requirements met and exceeded the contract requirements for LBE vendor participation. A complete l isting of these vendors reached out to can be provided upon request. Wilson has already provided the percentage participation amounts for SFPUC records as well.
Wilson utilizes apprentices that participate in the formal apprenticeship program known as the Cal-Nevada JATC.
Wilson requests apprentices, employs, trains, and pays the proper prevailing wages to all apprentices employed through this program.
UNSAFE ENVIRONMENTAL/MULTIPLE SAFETY INCIDENCES WITH PAST AND PENDING OSHA VIOLATIONS
RESULTING IN FINES ISSUED AND UPHELD
Wilson has an exemplary environmental and safety program. Wilson has fully staffed and robust environmental and safety departments who will be onsite during this project.
Wilson has not received any environmental citations within the last 6 years. In 2016 there was one incident in which three small older transformers accidentally tipped over spilling a small amout of oil on a small section of a yard—the oil contained a small amount of PCP. Due to the fact that the crew had the training and equipment to contain the spill there was no adverse damage to the waterways or humans. Wilson resolved the matter with the county and paid for the cost of remediation which was ultimately approved by the appropriate environmental agency.
Wilson has not received any OSHA violations resulting in upheld fines within the last 10 years. In the past 10 years, Wilson has been investigated by OSHA on four (4) separate occasions. The following is a summary of those investigations.
2012 (California) – OSHA investigation, but Wilson was not cited 2012 (California) – OSHA investigation, Wilson successfully appealed, and the alleged violations and penalties were vacated
2013 (Oregon) – OSHA investigation, but Wilson was not cited 2019 (Washington) – OSHA investigation, Wilson successfully appealed, and the alleged citation and penalties were vacated.
Regarding the above CAL-OSHA investigations, Wilson did experience two separate incidents in California (2019 and 2020) that resulted in fatalities within the last 3 years. In one, Wilson was determined by CAL -OSHA to be NOT at fault and no citation was issued. The other incident was reported to CAL -OSHA which decided not to investigate although the FAA and NTSB did open an investigation. The helicopter tha t crashed while the two Wilson employees were suspended by a long line was owned, operated and piloted by another unrelated company. Please find attached details and findings of these incidents. (Exhibit 2 & 3) In addition to the above, Wilson’s recordable and DART rate have met or exceeded all industry averages for the past 5 years, as shown below:
Wilson Utility Construction Co. POST BID CLARIFICATIONS
Supporting Documentation:
- Exhibit 1 – Letter of Prevailing Wage Compliance
- Exhibit 2 – 2019 Fatality Incident Details
- Exhibit 3 – 2020 Fatality Incident Details
Please contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stark
Southwest Regional Manager – Major Projects
Wilson Utility Construction Company
Year
TRIR
Total Recordable
Incident Rate
TRIR INDUSTRY
AVERAGE
DART
Days Away, Restricted,
Transferred
DART INDUSTRY
AVERAGE
2021 1.26 not available 0.63 not available
2020 1.00 1.90 0.17 1.40
2019 2.49 2.50 0.83 1.60
2018 1.72 2.50 0.78 1.30
2017 1.84 2.60 0.61 1.70
P.O. Box 1190
1190 N.W. Third Ave.
Canby, OR 97013
June 8, 2022
City and County of San Francisco
Public Utilities Commission Water Enterprise
Attention: Dennis J. Herrera
Via: email address
Subject: Wilson Utility Construction Compliance Prevailing Wage Compliance
Dear Mr. Herrera:
I am writing to address the Wilson Utility Construction Company (“Wilson”) plan to comply with the Prevailing Wage Requirements of the Transmission Line 7/8 Upgrades, Contract No. HH -1007 dated February 2022 (“Agreement”). This letter documents Wilson’s approach to complying with the requirements of Article 11 – Labor Standards, of the Agreement.
Wilson’s represented workforce will be provisioned through the I nternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 1245. We have completed a review of the labor rates located at http://dir.ca.gov/DLSR/PWD as referenced in S ection
11.01.C.1 of the Agreement. Specifically, we have done a comparison of the rates for the classifications to be util ized on the Transmission Line 7/8 U pgrade project with those of the currently effective IBEW Local Unions No 47 & 1245 California Outside Line Agreement, Exhibit A, “Wage Exhibit.”
Wilson finds that the Basic Hourly Rates for Lineman /Cable Splicer, pow derman and Groundman are exceeded by the IBEW wage classifications, for the current effecti ve period of the IBEW Local 1245 agreement. Wilson additionally, planned to compens ate any operators utilized on the project will be compensated as per the necessary prevailing wage rates required for the region.
Classification Prevailing Wage Rates IBEW 1245 Wage Rates Lineman $ 60.19 $ 64.40 Powderman $ 53.75 $ 55.90 Groundman $ 36.76 $ 38.23
Based on the above evaluation, Wilson hereby repres ents that we are in full compliance with the Prevailing Wa ge requirements in the Agreement. Please contact the undersigned with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jeff T. Stark
Wilson Utility Construction Company
Southwest Regional Manager – Major Projects
"Building from our past, powering the present, with our vision on the future"
GENERAL PREVAILING WAGE DETERMINATION MADE BY THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE PART 7, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 2, SECTIONS 1770, 1773 AND 1773.1
FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING, HIGHWAY, HEAVY CONSTRUCTION AND DREDGING PROJECTS Craft: Electrical Utility Lineman #
Determination:
C-61-X-3-2021-1
Issue Date:
August 22, 2021
Expiration date of determination:
May 31, 2022* Effective until superseded by a new determination issued by the Director of Industrial Relations. Contact the Division of Labor Statistics and Research at (415) 703-4774 for the new rates after 10 days from the expiration date, if no subsequent determination is issued.
Localities:
All localities within the State of California, except Del Norte, Modoc, and Siskiyou Counties. (For Del Norte, Modoc and Siskiyou - see determination C-61-X-8)
Wages and Employer Payments:
Classification
(Journeyperson)
Basic
Hourly
Rate
Health
and
Welfare
Pension Training Other Hours Total
Hourly
Rate
Daily
Overtime
Hourly
Rate
(2 X)
Saturday
Overtime
Hourly
Rate
(2 X)
Sunday/
Holiday
Overtime
Hourly
Rate
Lineman, Cable Splicer # $60.19 $7.75 $12.08a $0.30b $0.66c 8.0 $82.79 $145.74 $145.74 $145.74 Powderman $53.75 $7.75 $11.34a $0.27b $0.59c 8.0 $75.31 $131.52 $131.52 $131.52 Groundman $36.76 $7.75 $11.30a $0.18b $0.40c 8.0 $57.49 $95.92 $95.92 $95.92 Determinations: C-61-X-3-2021-1 and C-61-X-4-2020-1
Determination:
C-61-X-4-2020-1
Issue Date:
February 22, 2020
Expiration date of determination:
December 31, 2020* Effective until superseded by a new determination issued by the Director of Industrial Relations. Contact the Office of the Director – Research Unit (415) 703-4774 for the new rates after 10 days from the expiration date, if no subsequent determination is issued.
Localities:
All localities within the State of California, except Del Norte, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Modoc, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Tulare, and Ventura Counties. (For Del Norte, Modoc, and Siskiyou – see determination C-61-X-8. For Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura Counties– see determination C-61-X-5) Wages and Employer Payments:
Classification
(Journeyperson)
Basic
Hourly
Rate
Health
and
Welfare
Pension Vacation
and
Holiday
Hours Total
Hourly
Rate
Daily
Overtime
Hourly Rate
(1 ½ X)
Saturday
Overtime
Hourly Rate
(1 ½ X)
Sunday/
Holiday
Overtime
Hourly
Rate
(1 ½ X)
Pole Restoration Journeyman $30.71 $5.75 $0.85a $0.83 8.0 $39.06 $54.88 $54.88d $54.88 After 1 year $30.71 $5.75 $0.85a $1.42 8.0 $39.65 $55.47 $55.47d $55.47 After 3 years $30.71 $5.75 $0.85a $2.01 8.0 $40.24 $56.06 $56.06d $56.06 After 6 years $30.71 $5.75 $0.85a $2.60 8.0 $40.83 $56.65 $56.65d $56.65 Senior Techniciane $19.87 $5.75 $0.85a $0.53 8.0 $27.60 $37.84 $37.84d $37.84 After 1 year $19.87 $5.75 $0.85a $0.91 8.0 $27.98 $38.22 $38.22d $38.22 After 3 years $19.87 $5.75 $0.85a $1.29 8.0 $28.36 $38.60 $38.60d $38.60 After 6 years $19.87 $5.75 $0.85a $1.68 8.0 $28.75 $38.99 $38.99d $38.99 Pole Treatment Journeyman $27.44 $5.75 $0.85a $0.74 8.0 $35.60 $49.73 $49.73d $49.73 After 1 year $27.44 $5.75 $0.85a $1.27 8.0 $36.13 $50.26 $50.26d $50.26 After 3 years $27.44 $5.75 $0.85a $1.80 8.0 $36.66 $50.79 $50.79d $50.79 After 6 years $27.44 $5.75 $0.85a $2.32 8.0 $37.18 $51.31 $51.31d $51.31 Pole Restoration and Treatmente
Technician (First 6 months) $15.38 $5.75 $0.85a $0.41 8.0 $22.85 $30.77 $30.77d $30.77 Determinations: C-61-X-3-2021-1 and C-61-X-4-2020-1
Classification
(Journeyperson)
Basic
Hourly
Rate
Health
and
Welfare
Pension Vacation
and
Holiday
Hours Total
Hourly
Rate
Daily
Overtime
Hourly Rate
(1 ½ X)
Saturday
Overtime
Hourly Rate
(1 ½ X)
Sunday/
Holiday
Overtime
Hourly
Rate
(1 ½ X)
Pole Restoration and Treatmente
Technician (After 6 months) $15.75 $5.75 $0.85a $0.42 8.0 $23.24 $31.35 $31.35d $31.35 Recognized holidays:
Holidays upon which the general prevailing hourly wage rate for Holiday work shall be paid, shall be all holidays in the collective bargaining agreement, applicable to the particular craft, classification, or type of worker employed on the project, which is on file with the Director of Industrial Relations. If the prevailing rate is not based on a collectively bargained rate, the holidays upon which the prevailing rate shall be paid shall be as provided in Section 6700 of the Government Code. You may obtain the holiday provisions for the current determinations on the Director's General Prevailing Wage Determinations Website (http://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/DPreWageDetermination.htm). Holiday provisions for current or superseded determinations may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Director – Research Unit at (415) 703-4774.
Travel and/or subsistence payment:
In accordance with Labor Code Sections 1773.1 and 1773.9, contractors shall make travel and/or subsistence payments to each worker to execute the work. You may obtain the travel and/or subsistence provisions for the current determinations on the Director's General Prevailing Wage Determinations Website (http://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/DPreWageDetermination.htm). Travel and/or subsistence requirements for current or superseded determinations may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Director – Research Unit at (415) 703-4774. # Indicates an apprenticeable craft. The current apprentice wage rates are available on the Prevailing Wage Apprentice Determinations Website (http://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/PWAppWage/PWAppWageStart.asp). a In addition, an amount equal to 3% of the Basic Hourly Rate is added to the Total Hourly Rate and overtime hourly rates for the National Employees Benefit Board
b This amount is factored at the applicable overtime rate. c Includes $0.01 to LMCC; the remaining amount is factored at the applicable overtime rate. d Saturdays may be scheduled as a make-up day at the regular straight time rate. e The Ratio of Technicians to Journeymen may not exceed 4 to 1. However, if the Journeyman is assisted by a maximum of two Senior Technicians, three additional Technicians may be added per Senior Technician
Wilson Construction Company Fatality Report & Analysis
FATALITY REPORT & ANALYSIS
Description of Incident
On October 25, 2019, a Wilson Construction Company (Wilson) employee was fatally injured in a single - vehicle incident while driving a digger derrick truck with a trailer carrying an air compressor on a county - maintained paved road in Northern California. The employee lost control of the digger derrick truck while attempting to negotiate a downhill turn on the steep, narrow road . The truck rolled to its side and left the pavement and down over an embankment. The Zonar (GPS tracking) device installed on the vehicle recorded the employee driving at approximately 41 mph in a 10 mph zone. According to the detailed report by California Highway Patrol (CHP) , along with the independent investigative report provided by R.W.
Snook & Company Reconstruction Services , the employee was not wearing a seatbelt and had a blood alcohol content of 0.18% at the time of the incident as well as THC.
The CHP investigation concluded the employee caused the collision by driving the digger derrick truck “in violation of California Vehicle Code section 23152(g), which states: ‘It is unlawful for a person who is under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverag e and drug to drive a vehicle’ … Due to P1’s [the employee’s] level of intoxication, P1 [the employee ] navigated a curvature of the roadway at an unsafe speed, causing V1 [the digger derrick truck] to overturn, collide with the asphalt roadway, and continu e overturning down a descending embankment.”
The decedent’s foreman stated to the CHP investigation investigator that he “did not observe P1 [ the employee] drinking or using controlled substances at the jobsite or in V1 [the digger derrick truck] and that it was not allowed.”
All Wilson employees in the region have been individually tested for alcohol and drugs. This was an isolated employee incident. Further, Wilson has not experienced a similar incident in the past.
Mitigation Measures
1. Increase random alcohol and drug testing and screening frequencies: As part of Wilson’s Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Policy , Wilson has increased the percentage of employees selected for monthly random alcohol and drug testing that all employees are subject to . These random alcohol and drug screenings will be arranged through CDT Solutions. A confidential copy of all random alcohol and drug test results will be maintained at the Wilson Can by office. Any employee found to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be immediately relieved from duty. Disciplinary actions, including termination and providing rehabilitation information and resources will be handled on a case by case bas is by Wilson executive management.
2. Provide initial and annual refresher training on workplace alcohol and drug awareness / reasonable suspicion testing for all foremen, general foremen and superintendents. This training will be administered by Minert Associates and will include signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use, the effects of various drugs and alcohol , and reporting and testing protocols. Wilson has a scheduled training March 4, 2020.
Wilson Construction Company Fatality Report & Analysis
3. Routinely inspect for alcohol c ontainers and drug paraphernalia on company property: Wilson management will periodically inspect all construction yards, company -owned vehicles and equipment for signs of alcohol and drug use. Any and all potential alcohol containers and drug paraphernalia observed will be reported immediately to the area supervisor and Wilson Safety Department and will result in disciplinary act ion. These inspections will be documented and maintained on file. Wilson safety staff conduct an average of one safety audit per crew per day. The safety audits will begin to incorporate the visual inspection and documentation of inspecting for signs of al cohol and drug usage. In addition to the daily crew audits performed by the Safety Department, Wilson will incorporate alcohol and drug inspections into the company’s biweekly management audits.
4. Continue to promote Wilson Stop Work Authority policy wit h all employees: Any person on a Wilson jobsite has the duty and authority to stop any task or operation they suspect could potentially endanger themselves, others, the environment or equipment. At Wilson this is called Stop Work Authority.
We want anyone to immediately Stop Work if they observe a coworker acting in a manner that indicates they may be unfit for duty . When in doubt, say something. We would rather someone be wrong and Stop Work, than to not speak up because that person is afraid they might be wrong and then an incident occurs.
No work will resume until all Stop Work issues, concerns, or questions hav e been addressed, and all persons involved in the work understand the concern and the safety precautions that will be taken. Any employee who stops work for any reason can do so without fear of retaliation, reprisal, or intimidation from management.
5. Implement a driver training and education program. This driver training program will allow Wilson to assess an employee’s driving skills and provide observations and coaching opportunities for all DOT and non-DOT licensed employees.
6. As of October 15, 2019, Wilson has taken additional steps to improve driver safety through SambaSafety’s continuous monitoring of DOT and non-DOT employee driving records. All licensed employees driving on behalf of Wilson will have their driving records continuously monitored by SambaSafety. Wilson has updated our Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy Appendix E to include the FMCSA Clearinghouse information. This policy is provided to all employees and made available electronically.
Wilson receives a weekly report from Samba Safety monitoring for any changes in an employee’s driving record.
A query is conducted of the Clearinghouse at least once per year for all employees. In lieu of a full query, the company may obtain a written consent to conduct a limited query. If an employee refuses to provide consent to conduct a limited query they will be terminated from employment. The company may also conduct additional queries of the Clearinghouse to determine whether a record exists for any particular employee after obtaining that employee’s written or electronic consent.
Wilson or its agents will report the following information about the driver to the Clearinghouse:
1. A verified positive, adulterated, or substituted controlled substance test result;
2. An alcohol confirmation test with a concentration of 0.04 or higher;
3. A refusal to submit to a test;
4. An employer’s report of actual knowledge of on duty alcohol use, pre -duty alcohol use, post- accident alcohol use, and controlled substance use;
5. A SAP report of the successful completion of the return-to-duty process;
6. A negative return-to-duty test; and
7. An employer’s report of completion of follow-up testing.
Because Quality Reconstruction Is No Accident
R.W. SNOOK & COMPANY
RECONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC
PO Box 5068
Galt, California 95632
(209) 367-8789 Office
(209) 367-3782 Fax
www.rwsrecon.com
[email protected]
PRELIMINARY COLLISION
RECONSTRUCTION REPORT
Conducted for Wilson Construction Company
Fatal Traffic Collision
October 25, 2019
Garberville, California
Case No: 6319603
February 11, 2020
Because Quality Reconstruction Is No Accident
RW SNOOK & COMPANY
RECONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC
February 11, 2020
Jeffrey A. Johnson, Esq.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Wilson Construction Company
1190 N.W. Third Avenue
Canby, OR 97013
RE: Fatal Traffic Collision involving
RWS Co. Case No: 6319603
Dear Mr. Johnson:
Pursuant to your request and direction, I have completed my initial analysis and reconstruction of the traffic collision that occurred Friday, October 25, 2019, on Alderpoint Road near Garberville, California. After careful review of the provided materials and my field investigations, I hold the following preliminary observations and opinions.
Summary of Event
In the early evening of October 25, 2019, was driving a three-axle Freightliner Digger truck west along Alderpoint Road in rural Humboldt County returning from a job site.
Attached to the rear of the Digger truck was a two-axle utility trailer loaded with assorted equipment and supplies. , who was alone in the vehicle, was following another Wilson Construction vehicle being driven by as they traveled downgrade toward Garberville. reported to the CHP that during their descent had “called” to report brake problems on the trailer attached to ’ truck (the “brakes were smoking”).
Shortly thereafter and the Digger truck passed ’ vehicle and appeared to “pick up speed” as it continued westbound along Alderpoint Road. last observed and the Digger truck when it went around a curve ahead of him. did not witne ss the actual collision event.
continued westbound on Alderpoint Road as his combination of vehicles continued to accelerate due to the steep downgrade. He arrived at and attempted to negotiate a right curve in the roadway alignment at too great of a speed which caused the truck to roll onto its left side.
The truck slid off the pavement, across a dirt turnout area, and down the side of the mountain.
The Digger truck came to rest upright on the side of the mountain with found deceased outside of the vehicle.
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** Employee 2
Garberville Collision
Summary of Event (continued)
Emergency personnel from throughout the area responded to the crash site including California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer J. Beans. Officer Beans, who was assigned as the primary investigating officer, documented his findings in Traffic Collision Report (TCR) #9126-2019- 00484. The officer determined caused the collision by driving while under the influence of an alcohol beverage and drugs in violation of California Vehicle Code (CVC) section 23152(g). The officer also found was operating the Digger truck at an unsafe speed for conditions; a violation of CVC section 22350.
The final TCR was approved and “signed-off” by CHP Accident Investigation Review Officer J.
Lozensky on January 7, 2020.
Collision Site
I responded to and processed the collision site on the morning of November 14, 2019. Digital photography and a topographic and forensic survey were completed to document the roadway and physical evidence that was still visible at the crash site. A FARO high-definition 3D scanner was also used to measure the collision scene and capture the environmental characteristics of the area. A drive-through video was completed to document the approach to the collision curve as shown in the following graphic.
Google Earth Pro Imagery
Alderpoint Road is a two-lane roadway constructed of asphalt concrete that follows a general east/west alignment. A driver traveling along the mountainous roadway would encounter numerous vertical and horizontal curves in the highway alignment as they travel through the relatively uninhabited countryside.
Area of Collision
Alderpoint Road
“Hair-pin” curves
Drive-Through
Video Begins
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Garberville Collision
Collision Site (continued)
Two sharp “hair-pin” horizontal curves were located a short distance east of the collision sight as can be observed in the Google Earth image on the preceding page (note red arrows above). , who was driving w estbound on Alderpoint Road would have encountered these two “hair- pin” curves approximate 3,000 and 2,300 feet east of (prior to) the collision curve.
The only signage proximal to the collision curve, for westbound drivers, was a black on yellow curve warning sign located just prior to (east of) the first “hair-pin” curve.
The warning sign advised of a “10 mph” speed limit to negotiate the right and then left curves.
The collision site survey and mapping allowed for a detailed analysis of the vertical and horizontal alignments of Alderpoint Road in the area of the collision.
Horizontal: the horizontal alignment of the roadway between the “hair-pin” curves and the collision curve was relatively tangent with just eight minor curves to break up the straight section of roadway. Information related to the final 500 feet prior to the collision curve.
The horizontal radius of the westbound lane through the collision curve transitioned from an initial 350-foot radius to a 181-foot radius through the central section of the curve.
The horizontal tangent alignment between the curves was approximately 146 feet in length.
The last horizontal curve prior to (east of) the collision curve had an approximate radius of 340 feet.
Google Earth Pro Imagery
“Collision Curve”
(Area of Collision)
B
C
A
A
B
C
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* The decedent
Garberville Collision
Collision Site (continued)
Vertical: the descending westbound grade (vertical curve) along the final 500-foot approach to and partially in to the collision curve where the Digger truck and trailer rolled over was relatively constant as outlined below:
The descending grade through this curve and into the tangent section of Alderpoint Road was approximately -14%.
The descending grade increases to approximately -15% during the initial approximately 90 feet of the collision curve. The descending grade increases to approximately 16% in the area where the Digger truck rolled over onto its left side.
The roadway cross slope within the collision curve was approximately -5% as measured from the outside of the curve to the inside.
Based on the criteria above, the critical speed of the descending westbound lane through the collision curve was calculated to be approximately 42 mph for the average automobile. Vehicles with a high center of mass, such as the Digger truck involved in this collision, will not be able to achieve the critical speed of 42 mph before they “tip over” and roll outward. The “Rollover Process” will be address later in this report.
A considerable amount of physical evidence was located at the collision scene including yaw marks, tire slap marks, gouge and scrape marks, damaged trees and shrubs, and various items of vehicle debris.
RWS Photo #5809 (view looking east)
C B
A
Garberville Collision
Vehicle Assessment
A damage and mechanical assessment of the 2019 Freightliner three-axle Digger truck and two- axle Towmaster utility trailer was conducted on November 13, 2019, at the All-In-One tow facility in Willits, California. In attendance were (Custom Truck), (Wilson Construction), (N orth Coast Truck), CHP MRE Officer Chris Barnes, and me.
RWS Photo #5507 (cropped)
RWS Photo #5657
Garberville Collision
Vehicle Assessment (continued)
The Freightliner sustained significant contact and induced damaged as noted in the above photographs. imaged the available modules on the Freightliner and provided printouts of the information gained. The computer imaging did not reveal any pre-existing conditions that may have caused or contributed to the collision event.
A cursory examination of the primary systems on the Freightliner Digger truck (engine and drivetrain, steering, brake, and tires) did not reveal any deficiency that may have caused or contributed to this collision event. A visual inspection of the brakes on the Digger truck indicted the brakes had been overworked and likely experienced “brake fade” during the collision event.
This determination was made based on the discoloration (“blue tinting”) observed on the linings of the #2 and #3 axle brake drums. Per your direction, the wheels were not removed from the truck nor were the brake assemblies disassembled for further analysis.
RWS Photo #5582 (cropped)
It could not be determined if the trailer brakes were working or not at the time of the collision event. The trailer and its contents were weighed on November 14, 2019, at the 49er Truck Plaza in Sacramento. The total weight of the trailer and the contents as shown above was 8,240 pounds. It is unknow how much (if any) additional weight was in the trailer at the time of the collision.
Garberville Collision
Dynamics Analysis
The Freightliner Digger truck was traveling west on Alderpoint Road through the constantly changing mountainous terrain. Driver had successfully maneuvered the truck through numerous turns and elevation changes in the miles preceding the collision curve including two hair-pin turns located moments prior to the collision. However, as the vehicle approached the collision curve the truck was traveling too fast along a steep downhill grade. Following a short, relatively tangent section of roadway, the Digger truck arrived at a relatively sharp right curve in the roadway alignment. The horizontal curve in the westbound travel lane at the collision site begins with an initial radius of 350 feet that quickly tightened to a 181-foot radius.3
was steering to the right (inside) of the curve as he entered the collision curve based on the location of tire friction marks found on the pavement surface (refer to the following photograph). No sign(s) of braking were observed on the roadway preceding the curve or within the collision curve itself. steered the truck to his right to keep the vehicle withi n the westbound lane but due to his aggressive steering demand in conjunction with the truck’s speed the vehicle began to yaw clockwise about its vertical axis. The truck’s right tires were traveling along the very north pavement edge when the left front tire began to mark the roadway approximately 47 feet into (west of) the beginning of the collision curve. Shortly after the onset of the left front tire mark, the truck’s left rear tires also began to mark the pavement due to lateral sideslip (yaw) and dynamic (lateral) weight shift. was initially successful in keeping the truck within the westbound lane, but the vehicle continued to yaw clockwise about its vertical axis to the point where it became laterally unstable and rolled counterclockwise about is longitudinal axis onto its left side. The truck’s heading angle was approximately 14° clockwise form the vehicle’s curvilinear path of travel at the point where the truck reached its rollover threshold and began to roll over. At this same point in time the outward offset of the left rear tires from the left front tire due to yaw was approximately 3.75 feet.
Once the truck reached its rollover threshold, the movement of the vehicle became uncontrollable on the part of The truck roll ed counterclockwise about its longitudinal axis while also rotating clockwise about its vertical axis until the left side of the vehicle stuck the roadway surface. The impact with the pavement was significant in nature causing damage to the truck, gouges into the pavement surface, and two distinct tire slap marks from the outer left rear tires. The truck slid on its side approximately 135 feet before it went up a slight embankment and then over the side of the mountain. The truck tumbled down the mountain and finally came to rest on its wheels facing a northerly direction. , who was unrestrained, was ejected from the cab and found lying on his back near the truck’s right front tire.
3 All measurements shown refer to the center of the westbound travel lane *
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Garberville Collision
Dynamics Analysis (continued)
The speed at which the Freightliner was traveling when it entered the collision curve was primarily established by the Zonar Tracking provided by your office and also by conducting an assessment of how far the Freightliner slid once it tipped over onto its left side. From the point where the Freightliner truck and trailer tipped onto its left side and began to mark (gouge) the pavement, to the point where the truck crested a small dirt embankment and went over the side of the mountain was determined to be approximately 135 feet. The calculated minimum speed for the truck to translate this distance while sliding on its left side was approximately 41 mph.
The Zonar Tracking map shows the
truck’s route using a colored line. The
route begins just east of Harris,
California and ends at the collision
curve. The colors represent the truck’s
speed range over a given distance.
Speed Range Color Designations
The final recorded speed for the Freightliner was within the range of 37.3 to 40 mph (note red line above). It is likely the vehicle recorded speed was an average value over the reported distance of approximately 1,100 feet prior to the collision.
Speed Range:
37.3-40.0 mph
Speed Range:
29.3-32.0 mph
Speed Range:
24.1-26.7 mph
Speed Range:
5.7-8.3 mph
Speed Range:
5.7-8.3 mph
Speed Range:
16.2-18.8 mph
Garberville Collision
Dynamics Analysis – The Rollover Process
The ability of a vehicle with a high center of mass, such as the Freightliner Digger truck involved in this collision, to successfully negotiate a curve in the roadway depends on a variety of factors, including: the truck’s speed, vertical center of gravity and track width, the path of travel as demanded by the driver, and the geometry of the roadway alignment (vertical and horizontal curves).
When a vehicle travels along a curved path at speed, it typically “leans” toward the outside of the curve. This is due to the lateral dynamic loading and suspension compliance caused by centrifugal force acting through the vehicle’s center of gravity. The centrifugal force typically increases with speed and a decreasing radius of the roadway curve. Because trucks have a higher vertical center of gravity (VCG) than cars do, their lateral dynamic loading (and instability) is more pronounced. A truck will roll away from the center of the curve and reach its rollover point much quicker than a car will. The measure of a truck’s ability to resist rollover is referred to as its “rollover threshold.” Rollover Threshold is defined as the minimum lateral acceleration necessary to cause the vehicle to overturn.
When the lateral force at the tire/road interface is higher than the dynamic rollover threshold, the vehicle will roll; however, if the lateral friction at the tire/road interface is lower than the dynamic rollover threshold, the vehicle will slide out toward the outside of the curve without rolling over. A variety of testing by multiple institutions found the rollover threshold of heavy trucks to generally fall within the 0.25 to 0.5g range. This range is generally well below the tire/road frictional interface found on most roadways. Consequently, trucks will generally rollover well before they reach the critical speed of the curve. For comparison purposes, the average automobile has a much higher rollover threshold of 1.0 to 1.3g while standard SUV’s generally fall within the 0.85 to 0.95g range.
As noted on page 4 of this report, the critical speed of the collision curve was approximately 42 mph for westbound car drivers meaning the critical speed for trucks would be less.
Opinions and Conclusions
1. was driving the Freightliner Digger truck west on Alderpoint Road returning to Garberville from a job site. The truck was towing a two-axle utility trailer.
a. was operting the truck while under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs based on information from the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office.
b. was not wearing his seat belt.
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Garberville Collision
Opinions and Conclusions (continued)
2. was overusing the truck’s brakes as he descended the steep mountian downgrade.
a. The mechanical inspection of the Freightliner truck did not yield any deficiencies or failures that would have caused or contributed to the collision event.
b. Evidence on the Freightliner’s rear brake drums indicated the brakes had overheated from being overworked as the truck traveled down the long descending grade.
3. The critical speed of the collision curve was determiend to be approximately 42 mph for cars traveling westbound through the area. A large truck, such as the Freightliner Digger truck would not be able to saely negotiate the right curve at a speed of 42 mph due to the vehicle’s higher center of mass.
4. The speed of the Freightliner was recorded within the range of 37.3 to 40 mph by the Zonar Tracking equipment installed on this truck. It is likely the actual speed at the point were the Freightliner rolled over was higher than 40 mph.
5. The calculated minimum speed of the Freightliner was approximately 41 mph based on the slide distance of the truck once it rolled onto its left side. This speed estimate does not take into consideration the speed loss due to such interactions as plowing through/along the dirt shoulder, the collision(s) with trees and bushes, or the amount of loss due to the truck having to travel up and over a small dirt embankment just before it went over the mountainside.
The above preliminary analysis and opinions are current through February 11, 2020. My investigation and reconstruction of this event will only continue at your direction. Please forward any additional information that may become available in this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
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Wilson Utility Construction Company
FATALITY DESCRIPTION
FATALITY INCIDENT
Two Wilson Utility Construction (Wilson) employees perished on June 2, 2020 while doing Human External Cargo ( HEC) work under a helicopter owned by PJ’s Helicopter Services of Redding, California and contracted by the utility company, PG&E, which Wilson was contracted with.
INCIDENT BACKGROUND
The crew was in the process of reconductoring a 115kV double circuit line. There was also another 115kV line, parallel to the line our crew was working. For simplicity, the two lines run north to south. The crew was working on the east circuit that was de-energized. The circuit on the other side of the to wer (west circuit) was energized. The Wilson crew had reconductored the west side line in the past, so our crew was very familiar with the area. The terrain is steep , ridge-like terrain with the towers often at the tops of ridges , spanning ravines. In this case, there was a rewind machine setup to the north end, going up a steep hill to the first tower. There was a long, approximately 1200-foot span to the next tower, spanning a deep ravine with a small dirt road at the bottom. The hillsides were covered in dried grasses and oak trees.
INCIDENT DESCRIPTION
On June 2, 2020, at about 1 :00 p.m., PG&E’s contracted helicopter was dispatched to the transmission tower to lift the two employees off the tower they had just finished double socking and the helicopter was to transport them to the puller site. Wilson’s puller operator watched, as is normal, as the two employees were lifted off the tower on a long line , then up and over the west energized circuit , and then as they proceeded towards the west to clear all the lines. It is at that point the puller operator started to move down the right of way to the puller site. He lost site of the helicopter when he started going over the hill.
A couple of minutes later, the rest of the crew saw smoke over the hill . They got the water buffalo and headed to the top of the hill to fight the fire and notified 911. They proceeded to get the hose out, started spraying the burning landscape and noticed that the lower conductor on the west side line that had been energized, was broken, and laying on the ground. Realizing that is what started the fire, they attempted to make several calls on the radio to the helicopter with no response. The crew then realized that there might have been a crash.
The crew found the wreckage of the helicopter, the contract pilot, from PJ’s Helicopter Services and the two Wilson crewmembers, in the bottom of the canyon away from the fire approxi mately 800 feet ahead online from the structure.
ONGOING INVESTIGATION
Preliminary findings indicate that there was a rotor strike on the bottom phase of the adjacent energized circuit. The cause of the rotor strike has not been determined.
All parties are cooperating in the investigation as to the cause of the accident which is being conducted by the FAA and the NTSB.
All,
As a follow-up to the message from Michael Lewis and Francisco Benavides on June 2, 2020, informing the PG&E family of the fatal helicopter accident involving PG&E contractors who were performing critical power line work in Solano County, we want to give a brief update on observations and measures taking place to ensure safety continues to be at the forefront of our discussion.
Leaders in the Transmission Substation Maintenance and Construction (TS M&C), General Construction and Aviation Services organizations have reached out to our field employees, chief pilots, construction and helicopter service vendors to get feedback regarding our use of the Human External Cargo (HEC) method. That feedback was discussed with the senior leadership of TS M&C and Aviation Services. HEC is an essential method of completing work in remote locations that are inaccessible by field equipment and vehicles. A large percentage (approximately 98%) of our field employees and contractors have expressed comfort resuming the HEC method. Before we restart HEC work, however, the following prerequisites must be completed:
1. Training: To ensure field employees understand current procedure and protocols, all field employees performing HEC must complete HEC refresher training prior to utilizing the HEC method.
a. PG&E employees must complete the TECH-2000WBT HEC Transfer Refresher course
b. Contractors will be required to complete all contractor training as to adherence of their company’s protocol and must also complete refresher training.
2. Equipment: To re-emphasize the Helicopter Operations Field Manual, employees must review the Manual.
a. Review of proper communication protocol and equipment as indicated in the Utility Manual AVI-3001M Section 8.2, Requirements for Human External Cargo (Communications). (Users must be connected to PG&E network.)
3. Tailboard: Teams must continue to document detailed tailboards and highlight any adjustments that are requested and approved.
a. Review daily tailboard of scope requested and gain concurrence from crew and pilot that work can be performed safely.
4. Helicopter:
a. All HEC insertions and extractions will only be at the established Landing Zones (LZ), work locations (poles, towers, etc.) covered in the daily tailboard with the Employee in Charge (EIC), Pilot and Crew. Any additional locations must be reviewed and approved by the EIC and Pilot.
b. Helicopter flights and/or landings are not allowed below conductors. A Pilot may deviate if an inflight emergency requires an immediate landing. • Any rotorcraft working on PG&E property may at no time operate closer than 50% of the rotor diameter from the blade tip. Always round up to a whole foot.
o Example 1: A MD-520 with a main rotor diameter of 28 feet can be no closer to a fixed object than 14 feet.
o Example 2: A UH-1H with a main rotor diameter of 49 feet can be no closer to a fixed object than 25 feet.
PG&E Mitigation Measures
Below are a few of the additional measures to be implemented based on the feedback we received:
1. Bi-weekly and Quarterly Electric Operations meetings with Aviation Services will be held to discuss completed work and lessons learned/near misses.
2. Weekly Regional Safety meetings will be held to allow visibility into upcoming work plans scope of work for identification of potential hazards.
3. Additional oversight when performing HEC, including that PG&E employee HEC requests will be reviewed and approved by a superintendent and that contract vendor HEC requests will be reviewed and approved by a lead safety representative provided from the vendor.
4. Quarterly meetings will be held with the Joint Helicopter Working Committee.
5. A Cause Evaluation has been initiated to review and evaluate Helicopter External Load operations. The goal is for overall improvement of processes and controls to enhance safety.
Electric Operations is reinstating HEC effective the week of July 6, 2020, once employees and contractors have completed the above requirements. EO will continue to review, improve and adjust necessary procedures and protocols and modifications will be communicated as they occur.
Individuals who are uncomfortable performing the HEC duties are always encouraged to decline the task in accordance with our Safety First and Speak Up culture.
Stay safe,
Ahmad Ababneh, VP, Electric Operations Major Projects & Programs Francisco Benavides, VP and Chief Safety Officer
Tom French, VP, Electric Transmission Operations
Andy Williams, VP, Shared Services
Ken Wells, VP, Electric Distribution
Jim Kent, Director, Aviation Services