The Avilla Line Department recorded an impressive safety milestone in January – 20 years without an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) event.
The Avilla Line Department has worked 20 years without an injury.
"This achievement not only reflects our commitment to safety, but also showcases the dedication and hard work of each team member," said Jesse LaFromboise, Manager Distribution System for Fort Wayne districts. "A special thank you goes out to Nick Griffin, Ben Clark and Shawn Waldron for their exemplary leadership that guides the team every day."
So, what’s the key to ensuring everyone goes home to their loved ones?
"We make sure we do the small things every time," said Shawn Waldron, Distribution Line Crew Supervisor. "We keep an eye out for each other and aren't afraid to pause or stop the job to make sure we're working safe."
"Our focus everyday is mentorship and training to continuously build confidence and skill level. This translates into our work and makes safety and efficiency easy and in the forefront daily," said Ben Clark, Distribution Line Crew Supervisor. "I couldn't be prouder of our team with their achievement."
Line crews worked safely through winter and summer storms, installing new poles and restringing power lines. To put into perspective, the Avilla Line Department has worked more than 7,300 days and more than 175,000 hours safely.
If you're interested in maintaining, building and keeping power flowing safely to your community, you could become a lineworker. I&M has a state-of-the-art training center for lineworkers. The Baer Field Training Center provides employees and prospective line workers an in-depth, hands-on-training experience in a professional setting. The four-year program involves working in an indoor classroom and training area, as well as an expansive outdoor set-up several yards from the building to offer different levels of training and skills.
I&M's apprenticeship program is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. Upon completion of their training, our lineworkers receive a certificate from the Department of Labor recognizing them as journeyman across the entire industry. The apprenticeship can be turned into an Associate of Applied Science degree by taking six additional credit hours with West Virginia University at Parkersburg.
For more on a career at I&M or our parent company, American Electric Power (AEP), haga clic aquí.