Improving Safety Culture Among Non-Electrical Workers

Power utilities have long been recognized as best-in-class in their safety practices. The high voltages and currents that power utility workers have to deal with make it very important to have a strong safety program in place. Each utility has a safety manual that describes safe work procedures in detail. However, a safety manual is only as good as its endorsement by employees. Therefore, in the implementation of a safety-oriented culture it is very important to engage employees at all levels. Unfortunately, thus far, the attention has been given in greatest part to electrical workers; those who install, alter, or maintain electrical equipment on a daily basis. This disparity of attention has left workers of non-electrical background neglected and under-informed. This paper attempts to correct the disparity by elevating non-electrical-worker awareness of electrical hazards through the careful analysis of workplace practices to identify and rectify unsafe aspects thereof.