Fort Pierce - Tuesday March 27, 2024: The Fort Pierce Utilities Authority was among 14 Florida public power utilities receiving a Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) Safety Award, which recognizes utilities’ commitment to safety. The award was presented at the Florida Lineman Competition awards banquet in Jacksonville on Friday February 23..
Linework is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs. In order to provide reliable power, Florida lineworkers and power crews are frequently engaged in dangerous work that can place them at risk of serious or fatal injuries, which is why public power utilities place a significant emphasis on safety and training.
FMEA recognizes and rewards safe operations through its annual Safety Awards. Utilities are placed into categories based on their total worker hours and rewarded for the most incident-free records. The incidence rate used to judge utilities was based on the number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses compared to the total number of worker hours during 2023, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
FPUA received 2nd place in the category with other similar-sized utilities for the most incident-free safety record.
“We applaud FPUA for creating safe working environments and cultivating a culture of safety so employees can safely and effectively get their jobs done,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director.
Florida’s public power utilities are locally owned, locally controlled and locally operated enabling them to quickly respond to the needs of their communities. They are also among some of the most reliable power providers in the state.