What It Takes

These specialists help keep OPPD field and plant workers safe

Every day at OPPD – on every drive to a service call, shift in a plant, climb up a pole, visit to a substation and job in an underground vault – workers face all kinds of serious dangers. 

Minimizing those risks with safe work practices is OPPD’s top priority. And behind the scenes, a team of highly qualified specialists uses training, communication, advocacy and years of hard-earned experience to keep everyone alive and injury-free.

“We find solutions to problems,” said Bryan Bernhards, an OPPD senior safety tech specialist. “We advocate for things to help all the craft workers out and try to make their jobs easier.” 

Strong safety culture

Utility work is inherently dangerous, and safety is non-negotiable. Eighteen employees have died in the line of duty since OPPD began operations in 1946, in roles including line technician, substation operator, electrician, cable splicer and transportation mechanic. Others have been injured. 

Senior safety tech specialists observe workers in action and advocate for their safety concerns. They serve on the committees that oversee apprentices and other new trade employees at OPPD. When mutual aid crews arrive to help with major storm outages, they brief the new arrivals on OPPD’s safety rules. 

Senior safety tech specialists advocate for new tools to improve efficiency and reduce risks, whether it’s specialized safety glasses or self-rescue harnesses to protect solo workers. 

They also serve as subject-matter experts when someone gets hurt, investigating what could have been done differently and how to avoid future incidents. When OPPD sends workers to far-off mutual aid calls, senior safety tech specialists ride along to provide any support necessary.

A few years ago, on a mutual aid call in Tallahassee, Florida, an OPPD line technician accidentally left a pair of work boots exposed in the back of a truck. 

As the line tech worked up in the truck’s bucket, a storm rolled in, soaked the boots and ruined his inserts. Bernhards, who had joined the trip, drove 40 miles to buy new inserts so the line technician could keep restoring power. 

“Our job is to remove distractions, anything that takes their minds off of whatever’s bothering them so they can focus on the task at hand,” Bernhards said. 

All backgrounds

Senior safety tech specialists come from a variety of trades at OPPD. Production electricians. Machinists. Line technicians. Steamfitter mechanics. Equipment operators. Substation electricians. 

In OPPD’s power plants, they train new employees on everything from fall protection to safely entering and exiting confined spaces. They show new employees how to operate equipment including mobile cranes, scissor and boom lifts, forklifts and overhead cranes. 

“That’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job for me,” said Kent Lee, a senior safety tech specialist. “We get to meet the new hires right off the bat and show them how to conduct themselves to be good employees. We get to explain to them that this is a great place to work.” 

Helping others

Bernhards started part-time at OPPD 31 years ago, first as a part-time gas jockey who helped fuel vehicles and then full-time as a junior clerk in operations. Eventually, he went to line school and spent the next few decades as a line technician and troubleshooter. 

Then came a shoulder injury, which required extensive surgery. When he returned a few months later, Bernhards decided to join the safety and training team to share what he had learned on the job. 

“I wanted to help people so they don’t end up injured like I was,” he said. “I get to help when someone has a problem or concern, and they know they’re talking to a person who’s been there and understands what they’re saying.” 

In 1991, Lee used the GI Bill from his Army service to study welding at Southeast Community College, then worked at power plants around the country until he joined OPPD’s Nebraska City Station plant as a steamfitter mechanic. He spent 16 years there and joined the safety department three years ago.

“I’ve always just had a passion for safety,” he said. “I felt I could be a good advocate in the plants, and I’ve got good relationships with everyone. Having those relationships and trust is a key factor in this job.” 

Always on call

Senior safety tech specialists are always on call in case someone gets hurt. They play a role in OPPDs robotics and automation work, which includes drones. Lee and Kevin Schulze, another senior safety tech specialist, are both licensed commercial drone pilots. 

They also talk regularly with workers, managers and others about safety concerns. 

“Something we emphasize with new hires is to have a questioning attitude,” Lee said. “Speak up. If you think something’s not right, you usually ought to follow that instinct.” 

Training new hires

When OPPD hires craft workers, the new arrivals spend most of their first week with safety technicians. Training might focus on confined spaces, communication and teamwork, or operating forklifts and motorized pallet jacks. Different types of equipment require different certifications. 

Hazards lurk around every corner in power plants and OPPD’s service territory. Preparation is mandatory, whether it’s knowing the exits or carefully briefing on how to handle an emergency. 

“This is a very unforgiving industry,” Bernhards said. “You face everything from the dog in somebody’s yard to the steam leaks in the plant that you can’t see but can burn you. You don’t get to make many mistakes.” 

Challenging situations

Bernhards said people assume that electricity is the biggest threat field workers face. But statistically, the greatest danger is distracted and reckless motorists. OPPD employees have already driven 2 million miles this year – enough to circle the globe twice – with an excellent overall safety record. 

During storms, crews work long hours for days on end, and safety becomes even more critical. Senior safety tech specialists help in a variety of ways, whether it’s safety briefings and reminders, handing out lunches, or leading ride-arounds to work sites to check with OPPD crews and mutual aid partners. 

“We’re here to help, to resolve safety issues,” Lee said. “If you’ve got that trust with the craft workers, they’re going to listen to you.” 

Senior safety tech specialists also oversee the regular proficiency training that workers must do, including bucket rescues, pole-top rescues, CPR, and work in enclosed spaces. Some workers are required to know how to operate a variety of OPPD trucks with different buckets, drills and other gear. 

“Working knowledge is very helpful,” Bernhards said. “You need to be able to read and comprehend and translate jargon, and a background in what you’re advising on is a huge help.” 

That experience helps promote a safety-first culture within OPPD. 

Senior safety tech specialists make a big impact behind the scenes as they work to anticipate risks, solve problems and remove distractions so that other employees can operate safely and focus on their jobs, said Jon Hallstrom, manager of Technical Training and Apprenticeships. 

“I am proud to lead a team of senior safety tech specialists who dedicate themselves to protecting and training every OPPD employee,” Hallstrom said. “Their expertise, advocacy and commitment to ensure that our crews can focus on their work with confidence, knowing safety is always our top priority.”