Line personnel from EnerStar participated in the annual Lineworker’s Safety Rodeo coordinated by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) on Thursday, Sept. 21. Eighteen teams from 14 electric co-ops and two municipal electric utilities participated in the friendly competition, along with eight others competing individually. The rodeo highlights the skills lineworkers use to work safely and efficiently.

Russ Camp, Ryan Haddix and Connor McCollum represented EnerStar at the rodeo, held at the LLCC Line School Yard in Springfield. They competed against teams from across Illinois in events using skills that focus on agility, speed and accuracy. While these skills are part of the judging criteria, above all, participants are judged on safe work practices.

Line personnel competed in four team and individual events, a 40-foot climb, pole-top rescue, H-structure obstacle course and a cutout change. The day concluded with a head-to-head climbing challenge.

Scores for each event are based on completion time, proper execution of the task and safety. Deductions were made to a team or individual’s overall performance score due to mistakes such as slipping when climbing poles, dropping tools or executing inappropriate procedures or methods.

At the end of the day, the EnerStar team won third place in the cutout change event. Congratulations to our lineworkers on their team and individual efforts.