How does a family-owned company, with over 100 years in the industry and more than 600 employees on its team, achieve a 0.00 Days Away Restricted Time (DART) Rate and a 0.91 Total Reportable Incident Rate (TRIR)? It takes teamwork, initiative, and a commitment to excellence at all levels, incorporating every team member and department working together. We’re sharing I.B. Abel’s industry-leading approach to safety excellence in electrical construction and professional insights from Jake S., Director of Safety and Quality.
Our commitment to safety and quality has played a critical role in our company’s long-term success over the past century and has especially contributed to the record-breaking year of 2023. We focus on delivering proactive strategies, best-practices, and a rigorous training program, and we intentionally involve every leader in all lines of business to help spread awareness to clients and the public. I.B. Abel’s proven safety performance gives clients confidence and an exceptional experience on projects of all sizes, whether it involves complete substation services, storm restoration services, turnkey utility construction, superior electrical contracting, or any task best completed by an experienced electrical contractor. Here’s a closer look at I.B. Abel’s industry-leading approach to safety and construction excellence.
Staying Proactive with Technology and Forward-Thinking Strategies
“A lot goes into our daily and annual planning for safety and quality across every line of business: Electrical, Communications, Utility and Storm Restoration, Engineering, and Substation. We take a very proactive approach by always thinking ahead of challenges, risks, and considering new tips, safety gear, technology, and more. In 2023, I.B. Abel concluded the year with our “Finish Strong” program, which included an app for employees to note safety catches, tune into Toolbox Talks, and have quick and easy access to connecting with all team members on safety discussions and important reminders 24/7. In 2024, we’re excited to launch “Frontline,” a new app with even more capabilities that will give us one-touch digital access to ensuring our professionals are frequently seeing new safety videos, consistently entering safety audits in a timely manner, and taking additional measures to strengthen our team from many different aspects. These innovative initiatives, combined with our well-established training programs and best-practices, are key to leading the way in construction safety.” – Jake S.
Involving Leadership In Safety-Focused Initiatives
“Our approach heavily involves all company leadership from the top down in every safety initiative. While we have a dedicated Safety and Quality Department at I.B. Abel to do the research, data collection, and behind-the-scenes work, I really value how involved every member of the leadership team is when it comes to safety. This is not a company where all safety efforts are pushed solely by the Safety Department. At I.B. Abel, all leadership personnel step up at every opportunity, from leading safety discussions or addressing incident reports with clients to taking the initiative to remind and reinforce best practices and strategies with jobsite crews. This approach has a trickle-down effect, as every team member from leadership to project management and the field plays an active role in keeping themselves and those around them safe at all times.” – Jake S.
Spreading Safety Awareness Internally and Externally
“Minimizing risks and injuries to keep our employees safe takes a lot of hard work and proactive planning internally, but there are also reminders that need to get out to the public. We have to keep others aware of their roles in the safety of construction workers during their daily drive when passing construction sites. Flagger Force, our traffic control partner, does an excellent job assisting with this. However, there are endless amounts of distractions when people are driving, and many are rushing during their commute. I just want to remind others as often as possible to be patient behind the wheel and mindful of the dangers that surround our electricians, linemen, and engineers. We have men and women operating on live lines, at risky heights, and in fleet vehicles who all want to get home safely to their families at the end of the day.” – Jake S.
The value that I.B. Abel offers its clients, through a commitment of excellence to safety and quality, is unmatched. We bring our decades of experience and full scope of services to every project and provide one integrated team that has the fleet, technology, and expertise to deliver turnkey electrical construction solutions on budget and on time. To learn more about I.B. Abel’s safety-led culture, check out this article, which shares insight on our best practices implemented before a project begins, throughout all phases, and after it is completed. As a trusted electrical contractor in York, PA, and serving the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions, the I.B. team provides Electrical Services, Storm Restoration Services, Utility Services, Substation Services, Engineering Services, Communication Services, and Wireless Services.
Connect with our team today to see how we can deliver electrical design, construction, and maintenance services you can count on.
