by Rick Lemonds, president & CEO of South Central Power Company
For me, line worker appreciation isn’t reserved for one day in April.
I appreciate our South Central Power line workers on the most bitter days of winter, when most of us hunker down in our homes but our line crews are outside, working to make sure others can stay warm.
I appreciate our line workers on the most sweltering days of summer, when they’re outside, working to ensure the rest of us can stay cool.
Whether violent storms tear down trees, ice builds up on tree branches, or heavy rains render the ground a muddy mess, South Central Power line workers gear up and head out because they know our members count on them to do the strenuous, hazardous work it takes to provide electricity to power our communities.
Electric line workers must be strong, smart, dedicated, and adaptable. They’re on call around the clock, ready to respond to outages and emergencies. They often work long hours for many consecutive days, without regard for weekends or holidays. At South Central Power, we have about 70 line workers with a vast range of experience, from last month’s newly hired apprentices to veterans with more than 35 years on the job. They all share a commitment to serving the community, looking out for each other, and working safely so that, at the end of even the hardest day, they all return home to their loved ones.
A line worker undergoes years of training, often starting by assisting crews from the ground, then transitioning to apprenticeship, which typically lasts four years and includes more
than 7,000 hours of on-the-job and specialty training before the line worker attains journeyman status.
We’re committed to ongoing training for all our line workers, to ensure they can utilize the latest tools and methods to do their jobs efficiently and safely. In the past year, we’ve built a new training yard at our Lancaster facility, to provide year-round training, and have launched two new internal safety committees. Safety is a key tenet of our mission and values, and we expect every employee to embrace our safety-first culture.
Every day, line workers face danger. Working around high-voltage electricity leaves no room for mistakes or loss of focus, which can be deadly. In addition to the inherent hazards of working on power lines, our crews face additional risks related to environmental hazards, from extreme weather to distracted drivers.
A line worker’s job is tough, physically and mentally. They carry heavy materials and climb utility poles. Sometimes, they must work where trucks can’t go, so they hike over hills and through woods, loaded down with 40 pounds of personal protective equipment. They employ modern technology, traditional tools, and their training to make and execute plans and problem-solve.
Line workers make many personal sacrifices, missing birthday dinners, holiday celebrations, and children’s sporting events. But most say they find the job incredibly rewarding. They value the strong bond and camaraderie formed among line workers, who depend on each other to ensure the safety of all. They take pride in the crucial role they play in powering the community and feel satisfaction when they’re able to get the lights back on after an outage.
Please join me this month — and throughout the year — in saying “thank you” to the line workers whose dedication, hard work, and sacrifice keep electricity flowing to your homes and businesses.
From the April 2024 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.