POWERGRAMS

TARGET ZERO Ozark crew continues streak with practice, attention to detail C ontinued engagement. Photos by Bill Snow Dummies are used in drills to help keep employees safe. chance to take the lead at tailgate safety meetings, or to volunteer at schools after-hours. They all take an Those are the two words Ginger Dean offers when active role." asked how the Ozark Line Crew has sustained its With 14 years on the job, Ozark Lead Lineman 13-year safety streak, despite a parade of new faces Judson Danner has the most seniority on his crew. working on the team. He agrees that consistent training is important. Their approach has allowed the young crew's six Danner, who began his career as a helper in members – whose combined work experience is Transmission Maintenance, helps train new less than the 30-plus years amassed by Ozark Local journeymen linemen joining the team. That's why Operations Lineman Jim Grantham – to work getting it right the first time is of utmost importance, without a recordable injury or preventable vehicle Danner believes. accident. It is notable, Dean said, the crew has been "In our line of work, you learn the right way to managed by five foremen do things, and you make during the run of safety decisions that keep people success. from going to the hospital or "This crew's success can't to a funeral," he said. "A bad be attributed solely to their decision will lead to really leadership," said Dean, bad results. I've told young Enterprise Operations crew members, 'You don't manager for Power Delivery know until it's over – there Distribution. "It is more of are ace bandages, or you can a cultural thing. There is a sprain your hand, but after tradition of working safely that, there are not a lot of inthat continues, and that betweens with injuries.'" accounts for this longevity of During safety meetings, performance." the crew has learned about Ozark Foreman Jeff Bonner, employees who have been Distribution crew supervisor burned or sustained other for the past three years, agrees. injuries, and are well aware "I think part of it is that accidents can occur if work our group is so young, they all isn't performed correctly. pay close attention to detail," "That's why what we do is said Bonner, noting his team so important," said Danner, ranges in age from 22 to 36. who enjoys his training role "We try to focus on the task and wants to eventually put at hand and not get ahead of those skills to use as a safety ourselves." specialist. Comparing life Through the years, he in small, close-knit Ozark has learned "change is the to living in "small-town Wes Charpie secures dummy. one thing that is constant." America," Danner said the Bonner, who began in 1984 as responsibility for each other's a building service attendant, has worked his way up well-being weighs heavily on crew members. through the ranks. "It's different from working in a big city, where you "We adapt to whatever comes up, as a company as don't see each other on the weekends," Danner said. a whole," he said. "Customers' needs change daily, "We have two or three crew members who all live in and we occasionally have to change the way we do the same small community, and we all see each other business to accommodate them. We do a great job at at the convenience store or grocery. What happens in that." our crew affects the entire community." Bonner said Alabama Power has made enormous That is why commitment to safety makes all the strides in safety, from the equipment used to training difference, Danner said. methods to how "I would hate to see someone's wife or kids, and crews perform know that they were hurt because I let somebody work. He believes make a bad decision." current training far surpasses By Donna Cope methods used 25 years ago, when line crew members depended mostly on their on-thejob learning. For instance, Bonner's Wes Davis, Wes Charpie (on pole), Brian Bratcher and Tony crew members Jones practice rescue. took part in poletop rescue training March 5. "We've come so far," Bonner said. "I'm so proud of these guys. They're very proactive and jump at the PAGE 4

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