April- Driving Awareness Month
Focus on Driving Safely
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a united nationwide effort to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and eliminate preventable deaths and injuries on our roadways
The National Safety Council asks all drivers to take the following pledge: “I will make our roads safer for everyone by avoiding all forms of distracted driving I will speak up when others are distracted to protect myself and all other road users. ”As an apprentice you are very likely new to the trade, you naturally lack experience and look to your instructors and others to teach you, to your coworkers and supervisors to show you the way to work safely, to help protect you and to help you protect yourself
You’re in an environment now that’s much different than when you were school age or before you entered into this trade. Now, each and every day you go to work and face real and physical challenges to your health and safety. We all have a duty to help one another work safe, drive safe and return home without getting hurt or being involved in an accident
One of the biggest hazards if not the biggest hazard we all face is driving
Anyone can be involved in an accident. There are many things and others that we have no control over However, we can control OUR BEHAVIOR and the CHOICES WE MAKE. Always wear seatbelts, put your phone away, don’t be complacent, have respect for the vehicle you drive, especially our heavy commercial vehicles A bucket truck or digger derrick truck demands our respect. Unfortunately, as an industry we have too many vehicle accidents. In just the first months of this year, apprentice drivers were involved in preventable rollovers of a derrick and a bucket truck. Fortunately, no one was badly injured These were preventable because no one else was involved in these incidents and the equipment was working properly
In this issue
Know Your Knots
Learn how to tie a square knot
March 2023 Graduates
Help congratulate our most recent graduates from March 2023!
Tailboards
Read about the importance of daily Tailboards on the job
from the Executive Director
Check out a few words from SELCAT'S Executive Director!
Important dates:
April 7, 2023
GOOD FRIDAY- SELCAT office will be closed
April 9, 2023
EASTER- Happy Easter
April 10-21, 2023
Overhead Fundamental Training School
April 28, 2023
Mandatory Orientation Class. Check your SELCAT email.
April 29, 2023
Online Transformer 1 SeriesPart 3
Tailboards
DailyTailboardsareoneofthemostimportantpartsofthework day.And,canoftensetthetonefortherestoftheday.Here areafewtipstohelpmakethemostofyourTailboardsbefore gettingstartedonthejob.Tailboardsareforeverybody.It's theplantodothejob,theunderstandingofthejob,andthe safetyproblemsassociatedwiththejob.
Tailboards should be kept simple but also make sure that every employee knows and understands all the tasks, hazards and protective measures.
Tailboards should at a minimum cover: job hazards, work procedures, special precautions, energy source controls, PPE requirements, and worksite characteristics and conditions. And don't forget about local emergency info.
A Message from the Executive Director
This Month I would like to take a few minutes and thank a very long-term subcommittee member, mentor to many and an advocate for apprenticeship training Mr Tom Rupp of Quanta Services Tom has decided to retire and enjoy his time with his beautiful family While I am excited for him to finally have everyday be a Saturday, I am going to miss him and his wisdom I have known Tom for 8 years but feel like we have been lifelong friends As a matter of fact, my wife and kids call him Grandpa Tom I know how much his family is looking forward to his retirement and we are so happy of them to get him full time Tom didn’t just say he was a great advocate and supporter of the apprenticeship model, but he lived it, Tom has served on a few subcommittees at SELCAT, and if you have been interviewed in the last 8 years or been to a FL subcommittee, chances are you met Mr. Tom. Please help me in thanking Mr. Tom Rupp for all he has done for our industry and SELCAT.
Stay Safe, and God Bless!
Tailboards should be performed at the beginning of each job, everyday and if there are any changes on the job.
"Tailboards make the job run better, and help everyone work as a team."
