BANDERA ELECTRIC News
Safety Should Be a Priority Lessons learned from COVID-19 MESSAGE FROM BEC CEO WILLIAM "BILL" HETHERINGTON
M A Y I S N A T I O N A L E L E C T R I C A L S A F E T Y month. It goes without saying that the single biggest impact of 2020 was COVID-19. Up until 2020, personal and home safety was not a topic that we spent a lot of time discussing inside the workplace, and the average person may not have known what PPE (personal protective equipment) meant. As an electric utility, we deliver a potentially fatal product, so safety is our top priority and is ingrained into our corporate culture. Our safety mentality made for a smooth adoption of new safety protocols to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at BEC. With telecommuting and remote learning, COVID19 consequently shaped nearly every aspect of life. Interestingly, many safety protocols designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 (washing hands, social distancing and masks) have helped prevent other viruses from spreading, most notably the flu. Many safety professionals agree that the broader focus on health and wellness that many are embracing is taking its natural path—a path that overlaps with personal safety in and outside of the workplace. COVID-19 taught us that safety should no longer be solely about avoiding injury in the workplace. It is about ensuring the physical, emotional and mental well-being of employees, in and out of the workplace, so they are healthy, alert and engaged while at work. This in turn contributes to the prevention of mistakes that can lead to accidents and injury outside the workplace. I am very proud that BEC has now worked more than 1.5 million hours, or more than seven years, without a lost-time incident. As we look ahead to the best ways to be safe in the post-COVID world, let us keep the good lessons learned about staying safe through improved health and wellness awareness and by employing proper safety practices at home, including washing your hands and having the proper PPE. Have a safe and healthy 2021!
DID YOU KNOW? May is National Electrical Safety Month. Time to inspect your home for any lamps, appliances, electronics, cords, plugs or outlets that need repair or replacement to prevent hazards.
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POWER TIP Avoid putting heatproducing electronics near your home’s thermostat during the cooling season. Heat from a lamp can raise the temperature, causing the air conditioning to turn on more often.
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