Our Commitment to ZERO Contacts

Every cooperative aspires to eliminate serious injuries due to electrical contacts. The number of serious injuries and fatalities among lineworkers across the country remains high. It’s a trend that Quinten Wheeler, manager of safety and compliance, and Wheatland want to stop through a new initiative of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange called “Commitment to Zero Contacts.” The initiative was created to help prevent and eliminate life altering injuries resulting from electrical contact.

The factors that increase the likelihood of accidents vary but creating a strong culture of safety helps mitigate the risk at all levels, and Wheatland is doing just that. Wheatland’s General Manager Bruce Mueller took the pledge to commit to zero contacts and made a voluntary commitment for Wheatland to join this nationwide initiative. The effort to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities due to electrical contacts involves educating and engaging every single employee.

As part of the Commitment to Zero Contacts initiative, Wheatland provided every lineman with a coin to carry in their pocket each day that reminds them of why they work safe. 

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