Utility Safety Seminars 2013
The Authority to Stop Work: Why Git’r Done Needs a Makeover
Guided by Standard Utility Construction safety and human resources personnel, this course will introduce a new safety process – Authority to Stop Work – that seeks to significantly make over Git’r Done, a long-held, problematic attitude that unintentionally yet significantly contributes to unsafe work practices on a daily basis. Discussion will include why and how Git’r Done often creates unsafe work conditions; how the new safety process cuts through the clutter to identify the root cause of problems created by Git’r Done; examples of how old ideas have caused problems at Standard Utility Construction even after the new process was introduced, plus how those problems are being addressed; and the influence Authority to Stop Work is having on the construction company’s customers.
Standard Utility Construction Staff
Administering Safety
This session is designed for safety professionals, particularly those who administer safety programs, interpret standards, write policies or procedures, and provide guidance to the workforce. Topics for discussion include deciphering the regulatory standards; interpretations and guidance; the importance of the General Duty Clause; a review of the 2012 Subpart V final rule; applying preambles in interpretation of regulatory standards; the difference between consensus standards and regulatory standards; how OSHA administers non-adopted consensus standards; and when consensus standard language becomes statutory language.
Jim Vaughn, CUSP, Director of Safety, Atkinson Power
Developing and Implementing an Effective Electrical Safety Process for Generation Facilities
This session will review a major electric utility’s process to review and update existing electrical safe work procedures at nine fossil/hydro/gas generation plants. An operational electric work section will be highlighted and include a new process for equipment-specific job aids and alerting techniques. Other topics to be covered include how focus groups impacted the process; engineering and administrative controls; the electrical qualification process; pre-job and electrical job briefing requirements; energized electrical work permits; operations electrical work; and arc flash boundaries.
Randy Fabry, Training Manager, South Carolina Electric & Gas, and Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP, President, SET Solutions
Transitioning to FR Clothing: One Utility’s Journey to a Successful Arc Flash Program
After sorting through various regulations, conflicting information and personal opinions, Tacoma Power developed and implemented an effective arc flash program. Join Jim Boyd, the company’s T&D safety manager, for real-world examples of what worked well and what didn’t, as well as insight into making this daunting process easier for all involved. Focus areas include preparing and partnering with your workers to introduce a major safety program change; building relationships with people who can help you determine what your program really needs; and managing an arc flash program on a daily basis.
Jim Boyd, CUSP, T&D Safety Manager, Tacoma Power
Cop vs. Coach
If your crews feel like the purpose of your field visit is to catch them doing something wrong, this session will provide you with guidance about how to turn those visits into true coaching opportunities to improve crew morale and performance. Kathy Ellsworth will lead a discussion of coaching methods successfully used by professional sports coaches to improve team performance, and how you can implement similar coaching methods in your organization. Attendees will gain an understanding of the importance of focusing on critical activities during crew visits and why focusing on behaviors has more impact than focusing on results.
Kathy Ellsworth, CUSP, Consultant, Estrella HPI
The Safety Side Effect
Why do supervisors with the best safety records also usually have better productivity rates, lower employee turnover and higher team morale? It turns out that good supervisors create a safety side effect. This presentation addresses the four most critical supervisory characteristics that lead to this side effect – the abilities to communicate effectively, hold self and others accountable, enable success in others and motivate others. By the end of the presentation, attendees will be able to explain why certain supervisory skills unrelated to safety result in specific safety outcomes; describe the four best supervisory skills for creating the safety side effect; and apply the basic steps to stop and redirect unsafe behavior.
Mike Allen, Co-Founder and Director of Operations, The RAD Group
Shock Incidents and the GPR Monitor
In this seminar, utility safety professionals from Western Area Power Administration will examine three shock incidents caused by induced currents. They will also introduce a new instrument – the GPR Monitor – designed to alert lineworkers to the presence of hazardous ground potential rise at a work site. Join in to learn about the importance of a proper work site grounding system, difficulties in recognizing the shock hazards that exist on a work site and advantages of continuously monitoring ground potential rise.
Gary Zevenbergen, P.E., Electrical Engineer, and Will Schnyer, CUSP, Division Maintenance Manager, Western Area Power Administration
OSHA Compliance Updates for Cranes, Aerials and Diggers
OSHA’s new crane rule went into effect to protect employees from the hazards associated with hoisting equipment when used to perform construction activities. Attend this session to learn the latest information about OSHA’s implementation of the standard and how manufacturers and employers are responding. Discussion will include the status of the debate on digger derrick operator certification, utility and contractor exemptions, and the most recent interpretation regarding fall protection and aerial devices.
Josh Chard, Ph.D., Director of Product and Corporate Safety, Altec
Spice It Up: Practical Ways to Turn Your Safety Presentations from Bland to Grand
Safety meetings have a reputation for being boring, but they don’t have to be. Drawing from time-tested techniques, presenter Richard Hawk – a safety professional, trainer and renowned speaker – will show you how you can deliver captivating, compelling and memorable safety meetings that will promote safe behavior and reduce accidents. Participants will master various presentation skills and learn dozens of ways to turn even the most mundane topics into exciting learning experiences.
Richard Hawk, Safety Consultant, MakeSafetyFun.com
Ergonomics for Lineworkers
In the early years of line work, many employees sustained fatal injuries. Those who survived often suffered chronic aches and pains due to the demands of the work. With the advancement of ergonomics – the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the working population – lineworkers can now enjoy nearly pain-free careers and employers can reduce costs. In this session, learn more about how ergonomics can work for your organization. Discussion topics will include mindsets that accept injuries as part of the job; common lineworker musculoskeletal disorders; and ergonomic interventions including work positions, materials, tools and equipment that are easier on the body.
Steve Hedden, Founder, Safely Home Electrical Training
Pole-Top and Bucket Rescue
Midwest Energy’s Michael Stremel will guide attendees through best practices of pole-top and bucket truck rescue, as well as self-rescue from a bucket truck. Specific topics to be covered include pole inspection prior to climbing; proper rigging techniques for a safe rescue; how to avoid injury to the rescuer; PPE requirements and equipment inspection and storage; and OSHA and NESC requirements for personnel.
Michael Stremel, CUSP, Operations Training Manager, Midwest Energy
Dealing with Driving Distractions
Distracted driving is a dangerous safety problem. Lane closure work zones are not immune to distracted drivers, and pedestrian safety in work zones has become a growing concern. To learn more about how to combat these issues, join this course led by Plastic Safety Systems’ Tim Cox. Attendees will learn about new traffic measures that alert drivers to changing road conditions, standards that govern pedestrian work zones across the country, and how to improve safety and reduce liability through compliance with ADA and MUTCD guidelines and standards.
Tim Cox, National Sales Manager, Plastic Safety Systems
Incident Investigation: The Basics
Once an incident has occurred, it’s important to determine the facts and develop a plan to ensure future incidents don’t occur. Before a plan can be developed, basic causal factors – including the root cause – must be established. Join this class for an active discussion about reviewing basic incident prevention strategies; developing a systematic investigation approach; how to determine causal factors; root cause analysis; investigation techniques; and how to write and submit a complete incident investigation report to management.
Pam Tompkins, CSP, CUSP, President, SET Solutions
FRONTLINE: Characteristics of Leadership
Based on the leadership training module used in FRONTLINE Utility Leadership, an educational series for frontline workers developed by the Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network, this course is designed to acquaint participants with various leadership styles and traits, the five person states and how leaders can influence them, and the keys to credibility every leader must know to be effective. Utility industry veteran Bob Hobbs, a recent retiree of Gulf Power who is at the helm of the FRONTLINE program, will facilitate this interactive discussion.
Bob Hobbs, CUSP
The Power of an Effective Field Personnel Audit Program
This program will cover how an effective audit is done and present the positive impacts it has on the safety culture of an organization. Attendees will learn about the technical aspects of field observation relating to personal protective equipment, tools and equipment, and work procedures; people-focused techniques used to identify and connect with field personnel in a positive way; and how a scoring system can provide leading indicators to identify organizational deficiencies and determine appropriate corrective action before equipment or unsafe actions cause injuries.
Lee Marchessault, President, Workplace Safety Solutions
Hazards of Hydraulic Oil Injections
While hydraulic power tools and equipment offer tremendous mechanical advantages to utility industry personnel, their use also poses a threat many people are unfamiliar with – hydraulic oil injections. These injections don’t occur very often, but when they do, they can lead to loss of motion in the affected area as well as amputation in severe cases where medical attention has been delayed. This presentation will teach attendees how to safely work with hydraulic systems, how to recognize an injection when it occurs, how to properly diagnose and treat injection injuries, and why immediate care is mandatory.
Michael Stremel, CUSP, Operations Training Manager, Midwest Energy
Revitalizing Your Safety Committees: Developing Leadership at All Levels of an Organization
A workplace safety committee is an extremely valuable tool that provides guidance and leadership in a company’s health and safety matters. If you want your safety committee to make a real difference in your workplace, you must be prepared as a leader to invest a good deal of time and energy into designing, developing and maintaining it. In this course led by Rich Horan of PPL Electric Utilities, you will learn how your safety committee can build great leaders; how leaders effectively facilitate a safety committee meeting; and how strong safety leaders encourage the active participation of committee members.
Rich Horan, CSP, Senior Health and Safety Specialist, PPL Electric Utilities
FRONTLINE: Influencing Others
This course is based on the leadership training module used in FRONTLINE Utility Leadership, an educational series developed by the Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network to provide frontline utility workers with greater leadership skills. Gulf Power Company’s Randy Patterson will use his 40 years of electric utility industry experience to facilitate discussion about valid risk assessments and how to use risk assessment tools; personal and organizational accountability; the influence you have as a supervisor; the value of having the right organizational culture; and the importance of properly utilizing job observations.
Randy Patterson, CUSP, Senior Safety Specialist, Gulf Power Company
It’s Alive and Grounded
Featuring high-current video clips, this class addresses protective grounding hazards and solutions. Presenter Rick Kennerly of Bierer & Associates – which offers a comprehensive line of voltage detectors, phasing testers and related safety tools – will offer insight into the dangers involved with the use and maintenance of grounding equipment; simple steps to prevent accidents during the installation and removal of grounds; and important information about arc flash hazards and mechanical forces associated with grounding.
Rick Kennerly, Vice President of Engineering and Operations, Bierer & Associates
Rubber Goods Use, Care and Best Practices
This presentation looks at the proper use and care of rubber-insulating gloves and related products. Attendees will learn the advantages and disadvantages offered by different types of rubber as well as what makes rubber deteriorate and what types of deterioration cause rubber to become unsafe. Course leader Greg Chamberlain will also describe how proper maintenance of insulating goods prolongs product life, leading to greater productivity and ease of work.
Greg Chamberlain, General Manager, Hi-Line Utility Supply Co.
Sustaining Safety Successes
Year after year, organizations put initiatives in place to improve their safety performance, but too often these initiatives do not deliver the expected results on an ongoing basis. This seminar will address the importance of sustainability and various methods to achieve safety performance success. Topics to be discussed include tools to produce sustainability, uses of leading indicators and their correlation with lagging indicators, and examples of the use of the tools.
Ted Granger, CSSBB, CUSP, Principal Consultant, Granger Management Consultants
The Globally Harmonized System of Hazard Communication
In September 2009, OSHA published a proposed rule to align its hazard communication standard with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). The GHS includes criteria for the classification of health, physical and environmental hazards, and specifies what information should be included on hazardous chemical labels and safety data sheets. Since employee training about this topic should begin by December 2013, you’ll want to join Danny Raines as he presents an in-depth explanation of GHS, the hazard communication standard and what effect OSHA’s proposed rule could have on the utility industry.
Danny Raines, CUSP, Safety Consultant, Raines Utility Safety Solutions
Testing Polymer Insulators for Energized Work
In the early years of the transmission system, porcelain and glass were the standard materials used to insulate lines from ground. Polymer was then developed and quickly adopted to insulate power lines, but a challenge arose: how to properly test polymer insulators prior to bare-hand activities. In this session led by Ed Hunt, learn about the long, expensive journey taken by Electric Power Research Institute staff to create a polymer tester and implement it in the field. Hunt will cover the progression of the EPRI tester, explore issues surrounding energized work on polymer insulators and provide a venue for open discussion.
Ed Hunt, CUSP, Foreman III Lineman, Western Area Power Administration
FR 101: An Overview of Standards, Testing and Options
With flash fire and arc flash incidents placing an increasing number of workers at risk, many companies are seeking safety solutions that will ensure both employee compliance and protection. Flame-resistant clothing is often a last layer of protection that can help prevent injury during an incident. This presentation from Robert Whittenberger, Tyndale Company president, will provide substantive FR clothing information including the basics about how it’s made; the standards companies should be familiar with; testing methods; and how to select clothing based on a variety of options. Attendees are encouraged to ask any topical questions they may have.
Robert Whittenberger, President, Tyndale Company
Fact-Finding and Causal Factor Determination Techniques
Fact-finding during an investigation can sometimes be challenging. To help combat some of the difficulties involved, this session will focus on information gathering techniques that can be used prior to a root cause analysis. Attendees will be taught about possible sources of information, such as event witnesses; how to obtain information from these sources, including methods that promote open, candid conversations; advantages and disadvantages of the techniques; and ways to organize information and determine which events and conditions contributed to an incident.
Ron Joseph, CUSP, Service Operations Safety Manager, Dayton Power & Light
Learning Leadership
Part of being an effective leader in today’s competitive marketplace involves developing your emotional intelligence – the ability to identify, assess and regulate your emotions and influence the emotions of others. In this course, attendees will be taught to identify and develop an understanding of the five core competencies of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, social awareness and social persuasion. Facilitator Parrish Taylor is author and instructor of MET™, a mental and emotional skills development program for frontline management and supervisors, and has served as an adult learning consultant for the past 20 years.
Parrish Taylor, President/CEO, Taylor-Made Concepts
The Correct Way to Apply the Minimum Approach Distance and Understanding How to Apply OSHA’s Two-Man Rule to Energized Electric Utility Work
This presentation will provide detailed information about the development of the minimum approach distance (MAD); how to correctly apply it; and what is happening to MADs in IEEE 516, the NESC, and OSHA 1910.269 and 1926 Subpart V. Additionally, the presentation will cover how a qualified electrical worker can enter a MAD and what work can be performed while alone inside a MAD. A detailed discussion on how to apply the two-man rule as required under OSHA 1910.269(l)(1) and (2) will also take place.
Brian Erga, CUSP, President, ESCI
Insulate/Isolate Gloving Training for Supervisors
Facilitated by 40-year utility industry veteran Rick Tobey, this class will focus on safe cover-up, positioning and overhead distribution job planning. Join in to view gloving scenarios that resulted in serious lineworker injuries, review OSHA standards and safety rules, and ask questions to other field workers. Both new and seasoned supervisors will walk away from the session with greater knowledge of accepted cover practices associated with gloving primary voltages, as well as a better understanding of safe work practices, the supervisor’s role in the safety process and the basics of insulate/isolate as they relate to line work.
Rick Tobey, CUSP, Senior Consultant, Tobey Safety Training & Consulting
Effective Safety Auditing
In 2008, Pike Electric revised nearly every aspect of its safety and health management system, including creating and implementing a robust crew audit and training process. In this session, Pike safety personnel will discuss lessons learned while developing and maintaining the audit process, and also review who should conduct site safety audits; why, when, where and how they should be conducted; and what should be done with the audit data once it’s collected.
Steve Bryant, CUSP, Safety Supervisor, and David McPeak, CUSP, Safety Analyst, Pike Electric
Fighting Complacency: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Complacency is a major safety performance concern. Join licensed psychologist Dianne Stober, Ph.D., in this course that looks at the human brain and how it contributes to the development of risk complacency. Participants will learn about inattentional blindness and optimism bias and their link to taking safety for granted; brain processes that can contribute to complacency; and practical applications to integrate a cognitive-behavioral approach that helps improve safety by battling complacency.
Dianne Stober, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Cognitive Change Concepts
Evaluating Crew Supervisors
Before you move someone into a crew supervisor position, you need to make certain they know how to effectively manage a group of lineworkers to construct and maintain high-voltage power line systems. This course will cover the process of evaluating crew supervisors, the competencies required to be effective and how to use the information to select the best candidate for the position.
Ronald J. Schenk, CUSP, Executive Director, Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction
Contaminants in Arc-Rated Garments: Effects for Practical Worker Consideration
People who work with arc-rated gear often wonder how to properly care for it and how it is affected by contaminants like diesel, creosote, dirt, grease and sweat. Led by Hugh Hoagland, the world’s foremost expert on the effects of electric arcs on PPE, this presentation will share results of a large contamination study conducted by ArcWear.com, e-Hazard.com and the Ontario Mining Division of the Electrical Safety Authority. This study and several subsequent studies of glove contamination and sweat in garments will give practical answers to these common questions, and help attendees understand other effects in accident investigations.
Hugh Hoagland, Senior Consultant, ArcWear.com and e-Hazard.com
Understanding and Influencing Bulletproof Employees
Many of us have worked with a “bulletproof” employee – someone who takes a cavalier approach to safety and demonstrates a clear disregard for risk of injury. Managing such employees can prove frustrating because they seem indifferent to reason and impervious to influence. This presentation offers ways to better understand and redirect their distressing behavior. By the end of the session, attendees should be able to explain the significance of the contextual model for understanding unsafe behavior; describe two psychological and neurobiological research-supported strategies for influencing bulletproof behavior; and create a personal story reflective of the contextual factors approach.
Phillip C. Ragain, Director of Research and Development, The RAD Group
Diagnosing Our Safety Vision
By developing a broader vision of the roles an employee plays in a safety program, companies can begin to move toward a more comprehensive and positive safety culture. This course is designed to connect leadership, responsibility and employee action to the overall safety culture. It will focus on how to develop leadership capabilities and expectations, and how management can help employees become vested in the effectiveness of a safety program. Discussion topics will include the status of the current workplace safety culture, the importance of understanding the role tenured employees play in the work environment, and how employee empowerment and accountability can benefit a safety plan’s future.
Jerry Lemm, CUSP, Safety and Training Manager, ESCI