By Rich Lane
The Hold the Pull (HTP) advisory committee met on Nov. 12 to discuss the 2014 meeting and presentation schedule and appointed a new member, Stephen “Spike” Roberts to represent SMUD.
On Dec. 5, members of HTP gave a presentation to the SMUD line and service divisions. The purpose of the visit was to update members on past HTP activities, activities going into 2014, and recognize the newly installed committee member and the three safety stewards currently in place.
Nine presentations will be conducted at Livermore Training Academy during the year 2014. Typically, teams of two HTP members give talks and interact with apprentices on subjects such as the Hold the Pull program, personal safety, working/crew dynamics and developing proper decision making. These talks usually run about one hour and have become popular with the Livermore Training Academy. Instructors do not attend these meetings so apprentices are free to voice opinions and ask tough questions.
Confidential interventions
One of the functions of all of the peer safety initiatives is to intervene at the request of safety stewards, business representatives, and sometimes management when employees encounter problems that are safety related.
This happens only with the agreement of the employee and in most cases behind the scenes.
When contact is made with an employee, time off is usually arranged without management knowing the purpose of the leave and a meeting takes place with the business representative, committee member or peer steward and the employee. A plan is made to address the problem and in most cases a peer steward or committee member is assigned to stay in contact with the employee and monitor the situation.
All persons involved are instructed not to share information or circumstances in order to assure the confidentiality of the process.