GEBE technicians attended safety training as part of the company’s vision to increase safety awareness.
The two-day safety training was given by Dr. Frederick Isaac of Energy & Advanced Control Technologies Inc., who has been giving various technical and safety trainings for the past 20 years. This safety training has been previously organized by CARILEC, the Caribbean Association of Utility Companies, and has been very successful in other Caribbean islands.
The safety training covered safety procedures, proper handling of electricity generation equipments and good housekeeping, identifying hazards and rapid response to emergencies such as fires, short circuits, as well as more in depth technical information on protective equipment.
Power Plant Department Head, Kenrick Chittick, organized the safety training to improve the general awareness of safety procedures on the job. We are aware of many safety rules but at times we need to be re-enforce[d1] d and refresher trainings are always good. "As GEBE technicians, we work in a very dangerous environment, with high voltage electricity, harmful chemicals, flammable fuels and large machinery. A job-related accident can easily be fatal if the proper safety procedures are not in place. The information coming out of the training is not just GEBE related but a great deal can be used at home in and around the house as well. Safety does not start at GEBE gates!"
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As a result of the training, a taskforce has been established to examine the current safety practices in the Operation, Mechanical Maintenance, and Electrical Maintenance and Safety departments. "We have some workers putting a committee together to help improve on our safety comprised of our employees[d2] . They will bring recommendations forward based on what they have learned over the two days. The committee will be in place by June 2, 2009." More of such trainings are to be expected to assist the workers on the job and at home as well.