Safety – keeping coworkers and the workplace safe
No one has to remind Josh Terrell to work safely, he’s one step ahead. As a plant mechanic at Twin Peaks Pumping Plant, he’s on top of his safety game, analyzing the work, knowing the equipment well and identifying potential hazards.
And there are a lot of hazards…confined spaces, rotating machinery and energized equipment. If work isn’t done correctly and safely, the risks are high. Everything from muscle strains, eye injuries, lacerations and electric shock which can mean loss of mobility, sight, limbs or even life. But Josh is intent on keeping everyone safe, sharing information and insight with the team to ensure all work is completed safely.
“Josh values safety and really looks out for everyone when they’re working,” said Supervisor George Garcia. “He has foresight, takes the lead and works together with the crew. That makes him an invaluable craftsman in the field.”
Josh said safety has been important to him throughout his career; he always wants to go home safely to his children and family. But CAP’s safety culture elevated it to a new level.
“This is first place I’ve worked that provided comprehensive training, ample tools and sufficient time to set up and execute work safely,” said Terrell. “Taking the time to work safely is important and showing that you care about your co-workers helps bring the crew together.”
Field Maintenance Director Phil Rettinger said a strong safety culture benefits everyone and lays the foundation a better business.
“An outstanding safety culture happens when the Value of safety is shared by everyone, creating trust that we care about each other and have attitudes toward safety that respect one another,” said Rettinger. “Building on that trust, employees become more engaged which bleeds over into the other areas of our organization which supports reliability, operational excellence, and financial stability.”
Garcia said one day a breach in the canal sent muddy water down to Twin Peaks Pumping Plant and the water level sensors malfunctioned, knocking out the entire plant. Josh immediately jumped in, making sure all safety measures were in place and everyone had correct personal protective equipment (PPE) so no one fell into in canal or was exposed to acid from cleaning probes.
Josh said for him, working safely and doing the right thing is always important, even when no one is watching. Some of the jobs he performs are repetitive so it’s critical to make safety part of your everyday practice, integrated into how he performs each and every job, no matter how familiar he is with the work.
“I always try to take a step back and think about the job, look at the big picture and what might happen down the road,” said Josh. “I bring that perspective to the other guys to make them more situationally aware so we’re all safe.”
