POWERGRAMS

4 Behind every statistic is a family photo. "Target Zero is not about the numbers; it's about the people – protecting them and keeping them safe every day," said Safety and Health Manager Charlie Shaw. "But safety means more than protecting ourselves. It has an impact on our family, friends and co-workers." Alabama Power is celebrating the 10- year anniversary of Target Zero, which has been built on that all-important message. Since it was introduced in 2004, Target Zero has completely changed the safety culture, becoming a top priority for every employee. Target Zero grew out of an especially difficult year for safety performance, Shaw said. Although 2003 marked the second- best record in company history, there were 181 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injuries and 17 lost-time accidents. Four employees suffered burns within 31 days, and two electrical contact cases were reported. Knowing a turnaround was needed, the Central Safety Committee set an aggressive goal – one that had never been dreamed possible: perform every job, every day, with "zero" injuries. Target Zero was introduced in January 2004 and was a featured topic at the Business Forum that spring. As part of the initiative, the company enhanced its safety recognition program with the Star Award and the Safety Service Award – both of which honor employees for reaching the "zero" milestone. "Summer Safety Days," which focused on raising awareness, were launched to reinforce the Target Zero vision. By the end of the first year, the Target Zero mindset was taking hold. The number of recordable injuries dropped to 126 – a 32 percent reduction. There were 29 percent fewer lost-time accidents, with only 12 injuries. "Since then, the company has set new record after new record," Shaw said, noting that by 2013 the number of recordable injuries was down by 67 percent. "Back then, employees said we can't work without getting injured. But now we see work groups, departments, plants and even divisions performing year after year without a recordable injury. They not only believe they can do it, but they make it happen." Jeff Couch was featured with his then- 8-year-old daughter, Madelyn, on a 2004 Target Zero poster to remind employees their family counts on them to put safety first. "I knew that zero accidents would be a hard goal to reach, but that it would take one day at a time, one job at a time," said Couch, Demopolis local operations lineman. "Now, safety and work are not separate anymore. It's as much a part of the job as anything else we do." With the overwhelming success of Target Zero after the first year, it was adopted across Southern Company in 2005. Target Zero was established as a Performance Pay Plan safety goal. Since then, it has led to many companywide improvements, including: • An annual fall planning meeting to gather input from employees. • The implementation of close-call reporting, designed to correct safety issues before they occur. • The creation of a safety mentoring process. • The implementation of 100 percent fall protection for climbing poles and towers. Looking back, Casey Shelton said employees were at first skeptical, thinking Target Zero was simply another safety slogan. "But now we realize that Target Zero is not a goal that you achieve and then sit back and say, 'What's our next goal?'" said Shelton, business manager, System Council U-19, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). "It's a goal that is with us our whole career. We work every minute of every day toward achieving it." Corporate Relations Labor Specialist Bill Frederick said Target Zero is the catalyst that caused Alabama Power and the IBEW to begin working more closely. "We decided safety was the foundation on which we could build a relationship," said Frederick, who was System Council U-19 business manager during the early years of Target Zero. "We knew the one thing on which we could agree was that we wanted to wipe out all on-the-job accidents. The success we enjoyed gave us the momentum to partner in other areas, including wellness and legislative issues that have led to the protection of all utility workers in Alabama." Josh McCoy, who joined Alabama Power in 2011, said he is proud to work for a company that makes the safety of its employees its top priority. "Before this job, I worked at a company that cared about productivity rather than safety," said McCoy, Power Delivery lineman, Birmingham Division. "But here, we look out for each other and warn each other of any dangers on the job. We don't have to worry about coming home safely to our families every day. Target Zero is a way of life." By Carla Davis Definitive Decade SAFETY Couch with daughter, Madelyn, who has grown up with Target Zero. TARGET ZERO TRANSFORMS SOUTHERN COMPANY SAFETY CULTURE

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