Zero Contacts Initiative Targets Lineworker Injuries and Fatalities

NRECA and Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange are pleased to introduce the Commitment to Zero Contacts initiative.

This initiative provides cooperative CEOs, senior leaders, and field personnel with key recommendations and resources they need to help eliminate injuries by electrical contact.
The number of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) among co-op lineworkers remains stubbornly high even though the overall injury rate has fallen.

A nationwide survey of 51,000 co-op employees conducted annually between 2006 and 2015 found an average of more than 23 SIFs each year.Contact with energized lines and equipment caused more than 40 percent of the incidents.

It’s a trend that safety leaders across the country want to stop through Commitment to Zero Contacts, an initiative of NRECA and Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange launched at the 2018 Safety Leadership Summit. The voluntary initiative provides field guides, a downloadable job briefing app and other resources to help eliminate injuries by electrical contacts.