Daily safety moment keeps safety as day’s prime focus
Challenge. With a total operational staff of seven (including plant manager) and two facilities 45 miles apart, it is difficult to conduct all-hands-on-deck daily safety briefings that are meaningful, relevant, and achieve the goal of keeping safety as the foremost thought each day.
Solution. Plant staff collaborated and came up with the idea to start each day with a “Safety Moment Email.”
A schedule was established to engage all operating staff. Each site would have two days each week with Fridays being covered by plant manager and lead O&M tech. Each day the responsible individual selects a safety topic and sends out an email with the safety discussion or tip for the day.
These emails are distributed to all staff as well as to corporate leaders. The topics are completely up to the individuals responsible for that day’s safety moment. They can cover plant related items such as LOTO and confined-space operations. Or they may be more relevant to home life including driving safety during deer mating season, slips/trips and falls as winter freezes approach, etc.
The message is delivered each and every morning, meaning every staff member begins their day with a safety message. Many of these messages have developed further discussion and safety ideas.
Results. By including all staff members in the development of the daily safety moment emails, all have become engaged in providing quality safety reminders and tips to maintain the focus on “safety first.”
These have now been shared with the plant owners who, in turn, are sharing them with their other electric generating facilities. The plant performance on leading indicators has gained new focus and appreciation. Safety suggestions have increased as staff becomes more involved, and feedback from staff members has been overwhelmingly positive.
Project participants:
Matthew O’Hara, lead O&M technician
Bob VanDenburgh, plant manager
Lawrence County and Worthington Generating Stations
Owned by Hoosier Energy and Wabash Valley Power Assn
Operated by NAES Corp
Lawrence: 258-MW, gas-fired, six-unit, simple-cycle peaking facility located in Lawrence County, Ind
Worthington: 174-MW, gas-fired, four-unit, simple-cycle peaking facility located in Greene County, Ind
Plant manager: Bob VanDenburgh
