MYR Group was instrumental in creating the OSHA Electrical Transmission & Distribution (ETD) Strategic Safety Partnership in 2004. MYR Group was a charter member, along with four other major T&D contractors, the IBEW, EEI and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Through the Partnership, MYR Group was a major contributor in developing the OSHA 10-hour training class and the OSHA 20-hour class, and MYR continually trains employees across the country on these courses.

The ETD OSHA 10-hour program was a collaborative effort of the ETD OSHA Strategic Partnership, which MYR helped create. MYR Group has also developed and implemented other targeted training programs on topics such as wire stringing and rigging, grounding, material handling, emergency planning, work zone protection, crane operator training, trenching and excavating, confined space training, and more.

MYR Group is also active with the Best Practices Task Team for the OSHA Partnership serving our industry. The goal of this team is to develop and implement best practices across the United States to establish uniformity in safety practices that has not previously existed. To date, every partner has implemented the best practices identified by the Task Team. This means that every employee working for a respective partner is required to follow the best practices approved by the Partnership and its Executive Committee. This alleviates some of the issues related to maintaining safe, consistent work practices among a transient workforce.

MYR Group Chief Executive Officer Bill Koertner serves on the Partnership's Executive Team, Evan Todd (our Vice President of Safety) serves on a number of steering committees and several other key employees serve on various Partnership working groups. The Partnership has identified numerous best practices for members of the Partnership to adopt, including the following:

• Job Briefings
• Pre-Use Inspection of Rubber Protective Equipment
• Cradle-to-Cradle Use of Insulating (For use in a test market at this time.)
• Rubber Gloves and Sleeves
• Lock-to-Lock Use of Insulating Rubber Gloves and Sleeves
• Administrative Controls
• Qualified Observer
• Insulate and Isolate Safety Performance Check

The OSHA Strategic Safety Partnership leverages the resources of the partners to anticipate, identify, evaluate, and manage health and safety hazards associated with electrical transmission and distribution work. The partnership identifies and provides consensus on best practice solutions to reduce or eliminate the leading causes of injuries and fatalities in the T&D electrical construction contracting industry.  The findings are publicized through individual training programs and materials used by all members of the Partnership.

Additionally, participating organizations continue to develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including the use of their respective organization's websites.

The Partnership embodies the willingness, commitment, and leadership of the partners to put aside competitive differences to focus on the singular, shared goal of providing a safe and healthy workplace for employees in this industry.