Plug Into Safety
By McKayla Kiernan, Communications Specialist
May is National Electrical Safety Month. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, each year thousands of people in the U.S. are critically injured and electrocuted because of electrical fires, accidents and electrocution in their own homes. Many of these accidents are preventable. At Choptank Electric Cooperative, safety is our No. 1 priority. This is not empty talk. Over time, Choptank Electric Cooperative has created a culture of safety by putting our employees’ safety and that of the community above all else. At its essence, Choptank Electric Cooperative’s mission is to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity for our members. But equally as important, we want to return our workers home safely to their loved ones. Doing so requires ongoing focus, dedication and vigilance.
Following leading national safety standards
Working with electricity is an inherently dangerous job, especially for lineworkers. Choptank Electric Cooperative has a safety team whose focus is keeping employees and the community safe around electricity. We established and follow safety protocols based on leading national safety practices for the utility industry. We require our lineworkers to wear specialized equipment when working next to or with power lines. There are specific protocols that our lineworkers follow when dealing with electricity. Our safety team has regular meetings where they discuss upcoming projects from a safety perspective. They monitor and track near-misses of accidents to understand them, share “lessons learned,” and improve in the future.
As importantly, we encourage all our crews to speak up and hold each other accountable for safety. By cultivating a culture of openness and transparency, we promote problem-solving regarding safety. We examine the information and data gleaned from accident reports to discern patterns and use safety metrics to improve in those areas where we have fallen short. As appropriate, we brief contractors on our safety protocols and set expectations for their engagement.
Keeping the community safe
Because we live and work in the community we serve, we care about our neighbors. We strive to educate and inform our members on electrical safety so they are prepared year-round. We conduct electrical safety demonstrations in schools, at community events and share safety tips in our digital and printed publications.
There are several things you can do to keep yourself and your community safe around electricity. Don’t attempt electrical DIY projects or overload your outlets. Report downed power lines, unlocked substations or padmount transformers that look amiss. Pause and take the extra time to plug into safety to keep you and those around you safe.
Visit > www.choptankelectric.coop for additional electrical safety tips.