Mutual Aid

Our Commitment to Safety
At EnerStar, "Safety First" is our top priority. Our employees wholeheartedly embrace this principle and practice it every day. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our personnel, our visiting crews, and the public by preventing accidents and injuries. Our goal is to have zero injuries.

We ask that you share this commitment because your safety is important to us and to your loved ones. Always adhere to safe, proven work practices, avoid taking shortcuts, and do not hesitate to ask questions. We encourage you to seek clarification instead of making assumptions.

Member Relations
Please treat our members with the same care and respect you would show to your own cooperative members. We understand that power outages can be frustrating, and some members may express their frustration. If you encounter an upset member, calmly refer them to an EnerStar employee or the Operations Department for assistance. Please be advised that photography may take place for work-related purposes, and you may appear in photos used for internal or promotional communications and materials.

If you ever feel threatened or unsafe, leave the worksite immediately, notify EnerStar, and call 911 if necessary.

Things to Know When Working at EnerStar

Our Safety Policy
It is the objective of the Board of Directors and Management of EnerStar Power Corp to save lives by implementing progressive accident prevention programs, systems and techniques; providing a safe working environment for workers and safe public areas; and identifying occupational hazards as well as hazards to the public and eliminating or controlling when elimination is not feasible.

All employees are expected to:

• All employees are expected to perform their tasks safely and follow industry-approved OSHA guidelines.
• All employees are expected to report any workplace or public hazards and provide suggestions for their correction or control.  

Our Safety Attire
Whenever you are working in a minimal approach area, EnerStar requires crews to wear FR clothing with a minimum 8 CAL ARC rating.

Hour Workdays
EnerStar will attempt to keep you rested and nourished. If at any time you feel you are too exhausted to work safely, please notify our Operations Department. We will do its best to provide meal breaks as needed. Please speak up if you feel we have missed you or your crew.

Lodging/Meals Guidelines
When necessary, EnerStar will arrange for your accommodations and meals to ensure a comfortable stay. If you have any questions or concerns, please inform your EnerStar guide or our Operations Department.

EnerStar Guide or Representative (“Bird dog”)

• Each visiting crew will be assigned a guide or an EnerStar representative, often referred to as a "bird dog," who is familiar with our distribution system. Your guide will assist you in safely navigating the territory and provide you with the information, supplies, and equipment necessary to restore service to EnerStar Members.
• Your guide will give you relevant contact names and telephone numbers (also available in this information packet). They will assist you with the required information, approvals, clearances, verifications, and instructions from EnerStar's Manager of Engineering and Operations or an appointed team member.

Staging Site

• All EnerStar employees and individuals authorized to work on EnerStar’s behalf must report to a common staging site. This will facilitate effective crew assignments and simplify the distribution of materials. These meetings will also focus on coordination and safety, aiming to reduce confusion that can lead to dangerous situations.
• Your guide will provide information about the contact person and the location of the staging site.

Maps
Guides will have a circuit, road maps, and communications equipment to assist you with your duties.

Oil Spills
EnerStar and those authorized to act on the Cooperative’s behalf will respond promptly to any oil spills.  All oil spills must be reported immediately to your guide or EnerStar’s Manager of Engineering and Operations. This ensures they can coordinate the necessary resources and materials for cleanup as quickly as possible.

Energizing Lines
You are not to energize a line without permission from the EnerStar guide assigned to you or EnerStar Operations Department.

EnerStar Voltages

• EnerStar is supplied at all transmission take points from Ameren Illinois at 69kv. All voltages are stepped down from 69kv transmission to 7.2/12.4kv distribution from each substation.
• EnerStar owns and maintains 16 miles of transmission. We will not assign you any transmission work without an EnerStar guide/employee present.

Foreign Voltages

• Please be aware that other electrical providers surround us. 
• If you are unsure of feed direction or provider, please ask an EnerStar guide assigned to you or call EnerStar’s Operations Department.

Personal Grounds

• Always treat all lines as energized unless they are grounded on both sides of your work area. 
• All downed lines shall be tested for voltage and grounded on both sides before beginning work. 
• EnerStar has multiple feeds on this system. Many EnerStar members have generators, solar panels, and some with batteries, which can cause back-feed problems.

Line Tagging

• If you open a switch, breaker, or cutout, you will tag the switch/pole with your name and hold tag/pole wrap etc.
• You are not to remove any tags without proper authorization, nor remove any tag installed by another person unless you are given clearance by that person or EnerStar’s Operations Department.

Incidents/Accident Reporting
All information regarding an incident or accident must be kept confidential and should not be shared with the media, friends, family members, or co-workers. This includes communication through social media, phone, or text messaging. Information will only be released when EnerStar's CEO decides it is appropriate to release it.

Substance Abuse

• EnerStar maintains a drug-free workplace and does not tolerate anyone working under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medications that could compromise the safety of our employees, members, or the public or that may cause damage to property.
• Individuals found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or who are strongly suspected of being so will be required to leave the premises immediately, without question or debate. The incident will also be reported to the employee’s respective employer.

Vehicle Fuel
Unless otherwise instructed, all visiting crews can refuel at EnerStar’s office. Pump instructions will be posted at the card reader on the west side of both fuel tanks in front of the warehouse.