Safety is a priority at American Municipal Power. In addition to presenting safety courses and meetings to our members on a quarterly basis, AMP also maintains a year-round safety program designed to reach municipal electric utility employees and the public.

AMP member communities have the opportunity to host an AMP safety coordinator four times per year. AMP safety coordinators offer general training and refresher sessions on safe utility work practices, updates to proposed safety rules and regulations affecting AMP member communities, and on other topics requested by a community or other issues that may affect AMP members.

During these crucial visits, our safety professionals present on a variety of different subjects. Just a few examples are:

Pole Top & Bucket Rescue: This OSHA required course teaches the techniques for rescuing a person from a pole or out of an aerial bucket. Any person who climbs a pole or goes up in a bucket truck, or is the ground person for someone in an aerial bucket must complete a training course like this one. Member communities that have signed the Pole Top & Bucket Truck Rescue Training contract will be offered the training on an annual basis.

Electrical Safety Related Work Practices: This topic covers what the terms “Qualified” and “Authorized” mean and how they come into play under the OSHA, NEC and NESC rules. We also cover how people can become qualified to do the work they do and what rules and regulations they need to abide by.

Work Zone Safety: This subject covers the proper way to set work zones according to the Federal and State Manuals on Uniform Traffic Control designed to protect the work crews and the motoring public. We cover signage, barricades, and other safety equipment that is required. Additionally, Flagger Certification is offered as a separate course as many states now require that flaggers be trained and certified in order to flag vehicles on a road construction or utility project.

Temperature Extremes: This topic discusses working in extreme heat or cold conditions. Hypothermia and frostbite are covered in depth, along with heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Participants learn the different ways to get their job tasks completed in these extreme heat and cold conditions.

On request, our safety coordinators will visit AMP members’ schools to teach children about electrical safety. A live-wired electrical safety demonstration board is incorporated in these lessons. In addition, a new program has been developed to instruct firefighters in the proper emergency response to electrical incidents at substations, transformers and vehicle accidents.

Safety consciousness carries over into other AMP training programs as well. Our Lineworker Classes emphasize the importance of taking the time to ensure safe work practices are followed. The Apprentice Lineworker Training program has several sections that highlight safety issues. And, the OSHA Compliance program is designed to help AMP members develop the policies and procedures necessary for compliance with the Public Employers Risk Reduction Program.

For more information on the AMP safety program, please call Roy Dolezal, safety supervisor, at 614/306-4269 or send e-mail to rdolezal@amppartners.org.