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iPi Monthly Forum for Utility Professionals
The iPi monthly forum is where you can get answers to questions you have from subject matter experts like David McPeak, Jim Vaughn, Danny Raines and other utility safety and ops professionals like yourself. Forums will include industry specific topics, challenges, trends, and solutions along with best practices in leadership, operations, and safety.
These tactics offer safety leaders the opportunity to gain more consistent engagement and support for their programs.
Designing Safe and Inclusive Work Systems for a Neurodiverse Workplace
Editor’s Note: Incident Prevention readers’ initial reaction to the following article might be, “HIPAA?” You are encouraged to check for yourself, but HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – does not apply to the methodologies the author presents (see www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/faq/index.html). Incident Prevention recognizes that the author’s work is a deeper di…
Empowering Utility Workers: Integrating Job Control and Resource Availability for Enhanced Safety
In the utility industry, workplace safety is of vital importance. Utility workers face numerous hazards daily, from working at heights and handling electrical equipment to operating in confined spaces and dealing with extreme weather conditions.
To ensure the well-being of these essential workers, organizations must adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses both job characteristics and reso…
Don’t Do This: Lessons Learned in the Field
I was so excited when I became a journeyman lineman in the early 1970s. In those days, there was no such thing as a journeyman ticket – a union member or business agent would let you know that you had arrived. Seniority alone was the driver.
I was a union lineman in IBEW 84/896 located in Maco…
Are Your Employees 1910.269(a)(2) Qualified?
Employers in our industry must have policies and procedures in place that align with OSHA’s qualified worker requirements. Each employer also must be able to defend its interpretation of those requirements. Many can’t do it. This is something I come across in almost every OSHA and civil litigatio…
Win and Win Again: The Blueprint for Repeating Safety Successes
The primary goal of safety is to prevent injuries. We achieve that goal in most cases, though our rare failures often overshadow our frequent successes. And while it’s essential to analyze failures and apply lessons learned, it’s equally if not more important to highlight and replicate our succes…
December 2024-January 2025 Q&A
Q: Here in Australia, we recently read Jim Vaughn’s “Trainer the Trainer 101: Substation Entry Policies” (https://incident-prevention.com/blog/train-the-trainer-101-substation-entry-policies/). We have a 415-volt substation on-site; its doors and cabinets are locked. However, we are not comfortab…
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Safety Management
A Three-Tiered Approach to Securing Buy-In for Safety Initiatives
Despite widespread recognition of the importance of worker safety, gaining consistent buy-in for safety initiatives remains a significant challenge for many safety and operational leaders.
Even with the best intentions and efforts, safety programs too often become temporary “flavors of the mon…
Designing Safe and Inclusive Work Systems for a Neurodiverse Workplace
Editor’s Note: Incident Prevention readers’ initial reaction to the following article might be, “HIPAA?” You are encouraged to check for yourself, but HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – does not apply to the methodologies the author presents (see www.hhs.gov/hipaa/f…
Empowering Utility Workers: Integrating Job Control and Resource Availability for Enhanced Safety
In the utility industry, workplace safety is of vital importance. Utility workers face numerous hazards daily, from working at heights and handling electrical equipment to operating in confined spaces and dealing with extreme weather conditions.
To ensure the well-being of these essential work…
Training Considerations for Active Shooter Response Programs
Active shooter response training for utility professionals is a subject that shouldn’t be ignored. However, few subjects are as challenging or controversial.
For decades, active shooter response training has been touted as a one-size-fits-all remedy that instills long-lasting, actionable survi…
Designing Safe and Inclusive Work Systems for a Neurodiverse Workplace
Editor’s Note: Incident Prevention readers’ initial reaction to the following article might be, “HIPAA?” You are encouraged to check for yourself, but HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – does not apply to the methodologies the author presents (see www.hhs.gov/hipaa/f…
Empowering Utility Workers: Integrating Job Control and Resource Availability for Enhanced Safety
In the utility industry, workplace safety is of vital importance. Utility workers face numerous hazards daily, from working at heights and handling electrical equipment to operating in confined spaces and dealing with extreme weather conditions.
To ensure the well-being of these essential work…
Training Considerations for Active Shooter Response Programs
Active shooter response training for utility professionals is a subject that shouldn’t be ignored. However, few subjects are as challenging or controversial.
For decades, active shooter response training has been touted as a one-size-fits-all remedy that instills long-lasting, actionable survi…
Assessing employees holistically provides an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference – in safety and beyond.
An Inextricable Link: The Safety Benefits of Holistic Wellness in the Workplace
There is an inextricable link between employee safety and mental and physical wellness that is often overlooked. Taking a holistic view of your employees includes looking wholly at each person to better understand and address their mental and physical health challenges and related distractions th…
ESG: Health and Safety Obstacle or Opportunity?
Over the past few years, much has been written and discussed about the role of environmental, social and governance, commonly referred to as ESG. Investors and customers are increasingly applying these nonfinancial factors as part of their analysis process to identify material risks and growth op…
Worksite Safety
Equipment Stabilization Considerations for Utility Operations
Utility workers face numerous challenges in their quest to build, maintain and improve infrastructure. One significant yet sometimes overlooked challenge is the risk associated with equipment instability. Crucial aspects of equipment setup include stabilization of the machine and selection of app…
Introducing the USMWF: A Powerful Ally for the Utility Industry
In the world of utility work, where daily tasks often involve inherent risks, the need for a robust support system for workers’ safety and welfare cannot be overstated. This is where the United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (USMWF) comes in. Established with a mission to honor t…
Reduce Risk with New Strategies for Operator Training
Utilities and utility contractors highly value safety. However, labor shortages can sometimes corner field supervisors into making a judgment call about whether an equipment operator is ready for the task. If Foreman A believes an operator is ready after several weeks of training but Foreman B be…
Hand Protection for Electrical Shock and Arc Flash Hazards
Hand protection has evolved in recent times, perhaps making the greatest advancements in the past decade. Although the primary focus of this article is hand protection for electrical shock and arc flash hazards, it also explores the multihazard protection incorporated into newer-generation hand p…
Introducing the USMWF: A Powerful Ally for the Utility Industry
In the world of utility work, where daily tasks often involve inherent risks, the need for a robust support system for workers’ safety and welfare cannot be overstated. This is where the United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (USMWF) comes in. Established with a mission to honor t…
Reduce Risk with New Strategies for Operator Training
Utilities and utility contractors highly value safety. However, labor shortages can sometimes corner field supervisors into making a judgment call about whether an equipment operator is ready for the task. If Foreman A believes an operator is ready after several weeks of training but Foreman B be…
Hand Protection for Electrical Shock and Arc Flash Hazards
Hand protection has evolved in recent times, perhaps making the greatest advancements in the past decade. Although the primary focus of this article is hand protection for electrical shock and arc flash hazards, it also explores the multihazard protection incorporated into newer-generation hand p…
Shaking Off the Holiday Hangover
The holiday season is a wonderful time to spend with family and friends and to reflect on our gratitude for all the blessings we have. The joy and love we share during this magical season often graces us with memories we’ll cherish for years to come.
But once the holidays are over and Monday rolls around again, it’s time to get back to work. How do you come down from your emotional high and begin to refocus on your work responsibilities?
It’s all about dialing in.
Each of us has an internal switch that we must flip to help ensure we stick around to make more beautiful memories with…
Lightning Safety in Outdoor Work Environments
Outdoor workers across various industries face numerous hazards on the job site. One sometimes overlooked yet potentially deadly threat is lightning. A leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, lightning strikes pose a significant risk to workers, surroundings and equipment. A…
Mental Rehearsals: Responding to Heat Emergencies
While temperatures have begun to cool across the country, heat emergencies can still occur. And because heat is the leading cause of death among all hazardous weather conditions in the U.S., OSHA recently published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoo…
