At OPPD, every service call, plant shift, pole climb, substation visit, and underground vault job carries serious risks. Ensuring employee safety is a top priority, and behind the scenes, senior safety tech specialists work tirelessly to keep everyone safe. Using training, communication, advocacy, and years of experience, these specialists anticipate hazards and prevent injuries.
Solving Problems and Advocating for Workers
“We find solutions to problems,” said Bryan Bernhards, a senior safety tech specialist. “We advocate for things to help all the craft workers out and try to make their jobs easier.” These specialists observe workers in the field, address safety concerns, and serve on committees for apprentices and new trade employees. When mutual aid crews arrive for major outages, specialists brief them on OPPD’s safety protocols.
They also recommend tools to reduce risks, such as specialized safety glasses or self-rescue harnesses, and serve as subject-matter experts during investigations of workplace incidents. On mutual aid calls, specialists provide on-site support, sometimes going the extra mile, like driving 40 miles to replace ruined work boot inserts so a technician could continue restoring power.
Diverse Backgrounds and Expertise
Senior safety tech specialists come from a variety of trades, including line technicians, electricians, steamfitter mechanics, production electricians, and equipment operators. In OPPD power plants, they train new employees on fall protection, confined space procedures, and operation of equipment like mobile cranes, forklifts, and scissor lifts.
Kent Lee, another senior safety tech specialist, said, “We get to meet the new hires right off the bat and show them how to conduct themselves to be good employees. We get to explain to them that this is a great place to work.”
Experience Drives Safety
Many specialists, like Bernhards, have decades of experience in the field. Bernhards started part-time at OPPD 31 years ago and eventually became a line technician before joining the safety team after recovering from a shoulder injury. “I wanted to help people so they don’t end up injured like I was,” he said. Lee, who served in the Army and studied welding, worked in power plants for years before joining OPPD’s safety department. “I’ve always just had a passion for safety,” he said.
Always on Call
Senior safety tech specialists are on call for emergencies and play a key role in OPPD’s robotics and automation efforts, including drone operations. They maintain regular communication with employees and managers, encouraging a questioning attitude and proactive reporting of safety concerns.
Training New Hires
New craft workers spend their first week learning from specialists, covering topics such as confined spaces, teamwork, and equipment operation. Hazards in power plants and service areas are constant, from hidden steam leaks to aggressive dogs, making preparation essential.
Maintaining a Safety-First Culture
Specialists also oversee ongoing proficiency training, including bucket rescues, CPR, pole-top rescues, and operation of various trucks and equipment. Their practical experience helps foster trust with craft workers, ensuring safety guidance is respected and followed.
Jon Hallstrom, manager of Technical Training and Apprenticeships, said, “I am proud to lead a team of senior safety tech specialists who dedicate themselves to protecting and training every OPPD employee. Their expertise, advocacy, and commitment ensure our crews can focus on their work with confidence, knowing safety is always our top priority.”
Senior safety tech specialists are the backbone of OPPD’s safety culture, removing distractions, solving problems, and keeping employees safe in a challenging and dangerous industry.
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