September marks Suicide Awareness Month, and at Aldridge, we’re taking this opportunity to highlight our ongoing commitment to mental health. Through our collaboration with Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and the University of Colorado, we've trained over 70 employees as Mental Health First Responders through the VitalCog program.
We are excited to announce the release of the Winter 2024 edition of the Pipeline newsletter as we celebrate a significant milestone: our 30th year in print. Over the past three decades, Aldridge Electric has undergone a remarkable journey of growth, innovation, and success. We've expanded our reach, diversified our expertise, and continually raised the bar for excellence in the industry. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our exceptional teams.
At Aldridge, safety isn't just a priority; it's a deeply ingrained value that shapes our culture and defines our commitment to our workforce. Safety is not just about addressing incidents after they happen; it's about proactively reducing or eliminating potential exposures by verifying all adequate controls are in place. At Aldridge, we've taken a pioneering approach to safety, addressing the precursors to performance errors – also referred to as Brain Centered Hazards. We've taken significant steps to build layers of protection and tools to minimize the severity of incidents, and we're excited to introduce our Serious Injury Prevention program, known as SHOK – Seriously Hurt or Killed.
In the bustling heart of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, something significant was brewing. COO Brian Mazzei and Safety Vice President O'Brien Mills, representing our esteemed company, were standing side by side with representatives from OSHA, the Secretary of Labor, and our distinguished partners. The occasion? The renewal ceremony for the OSHA Electrical, Transmission, and Distribution (ETD) Strategic Partnership agreement. This pivotal event marked a remarkable milestone, as the five-year renewal cycle signified 20 years of dedicated efforts to enhance safety in our industry.
Women of Aldridge (WOA) is a proactive initiative that actively supports and promotes women in the construction industry. Through various means such as retention, professional development, networking, mentorship, and access to resources, WOA seeks to empower women and contribute to the company's workforce diversity goals and overall business objectives. The initiative aims to foster a supportive environment where women can connect, build a sense of community, share ideas, and play a significant role in the company's success.
In a coordinated effort with IBEW members, Aldridge designed and invested in two state-of-the-art training trailers to ensure we thoroughly prepare our employees to safely perform utility work. This investment in training, along with our IIF safety culture, sets Aldridge apart and keeps our employees going home safely every day.
Being safe during winter is about preparation and good judgement. The holiday season is a time for family and friends to gather. It is a time for reflection and appreciation for everyone and everything in our lives, but it is also a challenging and busy time of the year. With so much to do and think about, it’s easy to forget about safety.
The safety of all team members, at work and at home, is a top priority for Aldridge. Many of our jobs require working in extreme conditions or potentially dangerous scenarios. Through our safety best-practices, we minimize the risk of exposure to potential hazards and equip our team with the training and resources they need to stay safe.
Aldridge is always looking for ways to improve and better protect our employees. We remain focused on our IIF – Incident and Injury Free commitment. In recent years, through analyzing head injury data in the construction industry, we realized that the hard hat — arguably the most essential piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — has stayed more or less the same for decades.
