Unitil Launches Safety Education Website for Contractors

As construction season approaches, Unitil (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, encourages workers to learn how to stay safe around gas and electric infrastructure before they arrive at the job site this spring. Each year, accidents occur in situations where third party contractors fail to follow safety guidelines when operating near utility equipment. These preventable accidents may not only result in serious injuries to contractors, but also OSHA fines and increased insurance costs for business owners.

 

With the launch of Unitil’s new e-SMART Worker website (http://www.unitil.e-smartonline.net/worker/), contractors have a new way to access vital information every worker should know before working near electrical and natural gas lines. Unitil’s e-SMART Worker website features power line and pipeline safety tips, instructional videos, case studies and an interactive quiz, all designed to help better educate and protect the public.

 

“At Unitil, safety is our top priority and we are pleased to offer an interactive way to learn how to reduce risk on the job,” Carol Valianti, Unitil’s vice president of communications and public affairs. “We strongly encourage contractors and their employees to take advantage of the last few weeks of winter to educate themselves about how to stay safe around utility lines before construction season begins.”

 

Unitil’s e-SMART Worker website also includes a portal where trainers can download free educational materials including a comprehensive guide that addresses everything trainers need to run an effective safety education session, such as learning preferences, room setup tips, a pre- and post-quiz, and ideas for discussion and activities. Trainers can also use the e-SMART Worker website to order free training materials, such as booklets, visor cards, and brochures, to help teach employees about the latest utility-related safety information.