System Local 102 strongly believes that Section 25.1 of our contract, safety, is the most important one. We want you to go home every day the same way you reported for work, with one exception: We hope you learn a safer way to perform your job.

Our current safety manual is primarily made up of the minimum OSHA and state regulations. Contributions to the manual have come at the expense of the union members before us who have lost their lives or parts of their bodies.

What can you do to help create a safer work place? Follow all the safety rules which are currently in place. If you are facing an unsafe situation, you have the right to stop working until it is addressed. Report the situation to your manager immediately. If your manager cannot resolve it, report it to your safety committee representative . If the safety committee is unable to solve the problem, have your health and safety officer, steward or local president file a grievance using Section 25.1 of the contract.

Background on safety at Allegheny Power

During the early years of the electrical utility business, workers often died or sustained serious injury. During those early years, there was a lack of training and very little emphasis on safety.

As we fast forward to today, it is interesting how far technology has moved our business into the 21st century. We have a battery or hydraulic operated tool to perform almost every task. The hazards remain the same - electricity, chemical and mechanical.

• Our continually aging facilities receive less maintenance and are more prone to failure than ever before in the history of our company.
• We continue to add new equipment and miles of line without increasing staffing levels.
• We have a company that talks the safety, but refuses to work with its employees to have the best safety program in the business.
• OSHA violations, and poor practices still cost our coworkers their lives and limbs.

Use your contract, if necessary, to help the company do the right thing when it comes to safety.

Remember, the life you save might be your own! Contact your safety committee representative today for more information about how to make Allegheny Power a safer place to work.