SPOTLIGHT ON: DAIRYLAND'S JT&S PROGRAM | |
Dairyland's Safety department shares a commitment to strengthening overall safety culture, while providing service expertise both in-house and throughout our service territory. This month, we focus on Dairyland's JT&S team.
What is JT&S? Standing for Job Training and Safety, Dairyland's JT&S program team is comprised of Lead, JT&S Program Manager Lee Alberson (left) and JT&S Program Managers John Bestul (second photo) and Chris Burnis (third photo).
The three facilitate a statewide safety program for electric distribution cooperatives in Wisconsin, extending as far as Washington Island off the tip of the Door County peninsula. Participating cooperatives include: Adams-Columbia, Rock, Scenic Rivers, Washington Island, Richland, Oconto, Clark, Bayfield, Barron, Jump River, Polk-Burnett, Chippewa Valley, Price, Taylor, Central Wisconsin, St. Croix, Pierce Pepin, Riverland, Vernon, Dunn, Eau Claire, Oakdale and Jackson.
| |
Shared services: The JT&S team's work scope is broad, with the primary goal of providing safety instruction to all distribution cooperative employees while supporting safety-related functions requested by the member. Lee reports that each distribution cooperative receives a minimum of 10 meetings and two crew visits each year. Hands-on visits strengthen safety through real-time observation and feedback. "We watch the crews work and interact with them on the jobsite, instead of just in the classroom," said Lee.
Education & Training: The team trains co-op personnel utilizing industry best practices on all OSHA required topics, including: pole top rescue, bucket rescue, certified flagger training. They conduct testing on live line tools, power cords and tools, voltmeter calibration, personal protective grounds, dielectric truck testing and more. In addition, JT&S staff organizes five, two-day workshops annually.
| |
The NRECA Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) also falls under the purview of JT&S. "This is a voluntary safety program that we carry out on behalf of the distribution cooperatives. Every three years, the Safety team will conduct an onsite safety audit of the participating member, as part of the RESAP program," added Lee.
Somehow, on top of all that, Lee also serves as the Restoration of Power in an Emergency (ROPE) Administrator, coordinating mutual assistance for post-storm power restoration efforts among cooperatives throughout Dairyland's service territory.
Thank you, JT&S team, for the commitment to safety education and 200% accountability.
| |
SAFETY IN NEW WORK SPACES
Stay alert in new work spaces
As Dairyland assists our member cooperatives and other utilities keep the lights on for energy consumers, it is essential for employees to stay focused on hazard awareness.
Working in unfamiliar environments—such as another utility’s substation—requires vigilant attention to safety hazards and 200% accountability (for yourself and your coworker.)
At all times, follow these protocols:
•Follow Dairyland’s safety rules, no matter where you are working
•Conduct robust safety tailgates/pre and post-job briefings
•Use our HP tools, which help eliminate human errors with safety processes.
•Wear your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Remember, PPE is your last line of defense, protecting you from your or someone else’s human error.
| |
We want to hear from you! Questions or Comments? Email safetyculture@dairylandpower.com.
A message from Dairyland’s Safety Culture Systemwide Team.
| |  |
YIKES! AVOID WILD PARSNIP CONTACT |  | |
Photo collage above sourced from the Point/Plover Metro Wire (Steven's Point, Wis.)
We all know about poison ivy, but are you, your family and friends aware of wild parsnip hazards? Wild parsnip is actually a member of the carrot family and is most commonly found in grassland areas, alongside roadsides, railways and fields in our region.
Classified as an invasive species and considered an ecological threat by the Wisconsin DNR, wild parsnip will cause burns and blistering of the skin (see photo above) if contact with the plant sap occurs. Blisters and rashes appear one to two days following exposure. Although blisters do not spread like poison ivy, they may leave scars lasting from months to years. Animals are also susceptible to skin damage from wild parsnip, so be mindful of what Fido is sniffing on his daily walk.
PPE: Last line of defense but first line of prevention
Personal Protective Equipment to avoid contact with wild parsnip for crews includes gloves, long sleeves and pants, safety glasses or face shields. Everyone is cautioned to have an awareness of the plant identification in our work and home lives, as hikers, hunters and anyone enjoying the outdoors could encounter wild parsnip.
Stop the spread: If you see wild parsnip, please report the location to the UW-Madison First Detector Network.
For more information, click here for Dairyland's Safety Alert on wild parsnip.
| IDEAS & FEEDBACK: TAILGATE TOOLKITS | Dairyland's Safety Team is close to issuance of its 50th Safety Tailgate Toolkit since the weekly all-hands communication began in 2022! Your feedback and content ideas are always appreciated at safetydept@dairylandpower.com. The toolkits are not just a one-and-done resource either; reference back to previous toolkits for Safety Moment content and team learning all year. | | |
| |
|
|
Published by Dairyland Power Cooperative's Safety Culture Systemwide Team.
Contact Editor Katie Thomson at 787-1323. (Area codes are 608 unless indicated.)
Dairyland Power Cooperative is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
| | | | |
