POWERGRAMS

Silver Service As a Mobile Division meter tester, risk is part of the job for Jeff Lindsey. He daily faces possible hazards, whether he's removing a residential meter, checking overhead service or driving to customers' homes. Blake Jarrett also encounters risk, as he inspects rights-of-way in rural and urban areas. These Power Delivery (PD) Services employees know staying focused and "keeping your eyes open" are keys to reaching Target Zero. "From the top down, everyone plays a part in staying safe," said Jarrett, line clearing team leader, Saraland. "We are all committed to safety here, where the rubber meets the pavement. Everyone looks out for each other, whether working on a right-of-way or feeder, or just going home at night." Lindsey added, "Anything can go wrong when you're working with voltage, driving or dealing with customers. I think the key is to make an effort to be aware of your surroundings, follow procedure and do the right thing." Thanks to their day-in, day-out focus on safety, PD Services employees have won Alabama Power's Target Zero Silver Award, which recognizes large groups for working 365 days without a recordable injury. In fact, employees have continued the momentum, working 510 accident-free days as of Oct. 14. With 260 employees working in all six divisions and at Corporate Headquarters, and driving more than 2 million miles annually, PD Services formed its first consolidated safety council in 2015 to share best practices and ideas, said Johnnie Bailey. The 16 members represent PD Services' seven smaller safety teams, including Distribution Planning, Metering Services, Distribution Engineering Services, Automated Metering Infrastructure Management Systems, Business Processes, Contracts Services and Distribution Management Systems. "The No. 1 thing we try to do is to involve more people, whether it's through the council, a committee or a monthly tailgate meeting. When you have to roll up your sleeves and have an active role in safety, you increase your knowledge and get more engaged," said Bailey, council chairman and PD Distribution Management Systems team leader. The council has focused on improving communications, Bailey said. PD Services launched a quarterly newsletter, "Safety Scoop," and a new website with links to the organization's 2015 safety action plan, close-call reports and tips on issues such as defensive driving and parking deck safety. The interactive website includes fun features, allowing employees to submit videos of safety "Life Lessons" or photos of co-workers practicing unsafe work habits. Taking advantage of technology is another way PD Services employees are reaching their safety targets. For instance, Contracts Services is piloting Mobileye in its vehicles. This collision-avoidance system monitors vehicle traffic ahead of a driver to help prevent rear-end collisions. "Most of our vehicle accidents over the last five years have been rear-end collisions," said Contracts Services Manager Corey Sweeney. "But since we've installed Mobileye, we've found that it has helped train us. I've even found that when I get in my personal car that doesn't have Mobileye, I don't follow as close as I might have in the past." PD Metering Services employees have adopted several technologies to make their jobs safer. Meter testers are using GoPro cameras to photograph overhead service lines, Lindsey said. This prevents falls because employees no longer climb 20-foot extension ladders for routine inspections. Parking-brake alarms have been installed in all the meter tester vehicles as another safety measure. Additionally, employees are using a Meter Grabber, which fits over a meter and has a handle to prevent electric shock while removing a unit. With many PD Services employees working at their desks every day, the council stresses the importance of office safety, said Bailey. "We know accidents can happen right here in the office as well as in the field," he said. "Our folks in the office go about each task as if they are doing a high-risk job. We don't take safety lightly." Don Boyd commended employees for receiving the Silver Award, adding that it's a testament to their commitment to safety. "Our safety teams have worked very hard to reach out and get every employee engaged in safety," he said. "I'm very proud of our employees accepting the challenge and being focused on doing the job at hand. It takes every employee working safely every day to accomplish this goal." By Carla Davis TARGET ZERO 3 POWER DELIVERY SERVICES EMPLOYEES WORK SAFELY MORE THAN 500 DAYS Vegetation Management Line Clearing Team Leader Doug Standridge and Varnons Crew Headquarters Line Clearing Specialist Joey Hamm identify safety hazards along transmission lines. Photo by oseph DeSciose

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