Richmond Power & Light’s workforce is younger and less experienced following recent retirements, making safety training “crucial,” according to General Manager Tony Foster.
Foster highlighted the utility’s safety training efforts during the RP&L board’s Aug. 4 meeting.
RP&L has adopted the American Public Power Association’s safety manual as its safety guide, and as a member of the Indiana Municipal Power Agency, it hosts Tennessee Valley Public Power Association monthly training sessions. Topics this year have included job safety briefs, work zone safety, disaster preparedness, tree trimming safety, bloodborne pathogens, bucket truck and pole top rescue, and arc flash. August’s topic is confined spaces.
RP&L brings in an additional trainer to cover topics that include transformer safety, switching, grounding for personal protection and back feed awareness.
Employees also have specific safety and job training for their tasks, Foster said. Linemen, for example, must complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, labs and exams to become journeymen. Substation maintenance and meter department personnel have extensive job and safety training, and other departments have annual training, as well.
IMPA also provides monthly training sessions, such as July’s workplace de-escalation training.
RP&L provides AEDs, first aid kits, bleeding control kits and fire extinguishers in all buildings and vehicles, and employees are certified every two years in CPR.
This year, RP&L also underwent a security assessment, recently receiving the report that will be analyzed for possible improvements.
Bucket truck
RP&L did not receive any bids for a 71-foot bucket truck that the line department would use.
Foster received board permission to again solicit bids for a 2025 or newer truck. The utility plans to trade in a 2009 model.
A version of this article appeared in the August 13 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.