POWERGRAMS

5 Every day, on every job, it's a challenge to stay safe. Safety is all about maintaining focus, said Casey Shelton, business manager for System Council U-19 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents more than 3,000 members at Alabama Power. "We face a constant challenge every minute of our jobs. Being safe is a minute-by-minute goal," said Shelton, who has worked at Alabama Power for 30 years. "It doesn't matter if you've worked here for 45 years. We're in constant change throughout this company. There's change in our jobs, in Generation with our plants, in Transmission and our Power Delivery crews. Not one day is alike. You've got to be ready for that." Safety and concentrating on how to reach Target Zero – one day, one task, one job at a time – are congruent actions, Power Delivery Vice President Danny Glover believes. "One of the major challenges that we face is complacency," Glover said. "Our employees are the best and the brightest. They are exceptional at everything they do. It is our duty to never lose focus on what it takes to be exceptional." Whatever the job, it's the little distractions that can make a lifetime of difference: An employee takes his eyes off the equipment; a worker's mind strays to a problem with the kids; one glance across the road conceals that traffic has slowed. "It's the small things that get us hurt," said Shelton, who revisits the cases of injured employees. "The time to tackle the issues on a job safety briefing (JSB) is upon arrival to work. Once we arrive at the job site, we need to do another JSB. If we encounter any changes, we need to stop and do an additional JSB." Today's Occupational Safety and Health Administration-required personal protective equipment can pose difficulties. Employees wear thicker, heavier fire-resistant clothing, gloves and face shields, Shelton said. The extra bulk adds risks to working in 105-degree heat. Adding a 30-pound toolbelt compounds the difficulties of working in hazardous environments. Jim Heilbron, senior vice president and senior production officer, said Generation's successes the past 10 years are rooted in the belief that every task can be performed safely. "This belief is instilled in the thoughts of our seasoned employees and passed on to our new hires," Heilbron said. "I am humbled by the safety efforts of our people as they face the challenges of a constantly changing work environment. Sharing stories of past events and communicating present concerns ensures that the safety legacy created through Target Zero remains a viable part of our Generation culture for years to come." With the expected retirement of baby boomer workers in the next 10 years, Alabama Power will lose many employees with as much as 40 years of experience, Shelton said. With younger employees entering the workforce, Shelton believes it's essential they learn from the "knowledge fortress" built by veteran employees. "Seek out that older, seasoned employee and learn from them," he said. "Mentorship is so important to us in meeting the challenges of not only the job, but about ways of staying safe." Line crews and other employees who travel often face more risk to their personal safety. "Getting in a big truck and driving it poses challenges," Shelton said. "We also need to be aware of our surroundings." The Lineman Boot Camp at the General Services Complex in Varnons opened in 2011 and Alabama Power's newest crew members are reaping the benefits. "You'd never see someone on a line crew job now put in a situation before they're ready," Shelton said. "When you work together, you make improvements, and it's made a big difference." On that point Corporate Relations Labor Specialist Bill Frederick agrees. Frederick joined a line crew in 1981 after working at Alabama Power for four years. "It used to be that you landed on a line crew and were literally climbing an 80- foot pole the same day, with no formal training," he said. Shelton's belief remains the same as when he took the IBEW helm in 2011. "The company faces a lot of challenges – some of them are hard and some of them are tough," he said. "We'll continue to work together to get even better." By Donna Cope Employees meeting challenge to work safely every day on job SAFETY Special 10-year Commemorative Issue highlights safety achievements of employees.

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