OPALCO Takes Safety Seriously
Commitment to employee-driven safety program protects lineworkers
Since 2014, Orcas Power & Light Cooperative has participated in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s rural electrical safety achievement program. OPALCO’s safety program is a commitment by leadership to support an employee-driven culture that optimizes safety practices and encourages safe behaviors.
OPALCO’s No. 1 priority is for employees to return home safe and sound to their families every day. OPALCO lineworkers are first responders during power outages and other power emergencies. Each crew member understands the hazards of power and that electricity must be treated with great care and respect. OPALCO holds monthly safety trainings that apply to all aspects of working with electricity. A dedicated safety committee includes staff from all three islands and meets monthly.
The safety committee reviews accidents or near misses and determines what needs to be done to prevent future incidents in the workplace. The committee empowers employees to set rules and regulations above and beyond legal and industry requirements. Safety checks are performed each month on trucks, submarine cable terminals, substations, regulator banks and other critical equipment.
“I can’t think of any other part of our work at OPALCO that is more important than safety,” Engineering and Operations Manager Russell Guerry says. “Our employee-driven safety program is high quality, and I’m always impressed by the ideas the team brings to the table to continually make our work environment better.”
Communication is key to keeping safety top of mind for every OPALCO employee. During the monthly safety trainings, our dedicated safety consultant instructs staff on topics such as pole top/confined space rescues, ground testing, back and hearing safety, lockout/tagout procedures, and CPR/ first aid. Consistent trainings and open conversations drive excellence when it comes to being safe in all aspects of the job.
Line crews have job briefings before they head out to a job site, where they discuss and form a plan to ensure they have the right materials and all the needed safety equipment. On the job site, the crew has a tailgate meeting to check in on all procedures before work begins. If they are working with electrified equipment, they follow four steps every time: identify, isolate, test and ground. Lockout/tagout is the process lineworkers go through to ensure a line can’t accidentally be reenergized or backfed and cause an accidental contact.
OPALCO designs its system using industry standards and recommendations to achieve safety and simplicity of operation. For example, the engineering team programs the protective relays with hot line tags so equipment shuts off immediately if something goes wrong while crews work near live power lines. Nonfield staff are regularly involved in safety training and have consistent communication around safety, so all employees understand the necessary critical procedures for working with electricity.
Co-op members use electricity every day, and it’s important to know about the potential dangers. OPALCO works with community organizations to offer trainings for first responders around downed or energized power lines. OPALCO has a safety board that demonstrates with real electricity how to be safe around power lines. Call the team at 360-376-3500 if you have a group that could benefit from this kind of training.
Check out OPALCO’s safety center at www.opalco.com/safety to learn more about how to prepare for power outages, safe clearance around electrical equipment, tree trimming to prevent tree related risks, wildfire prevention, generator safety and general electrical safety.
