At Valley Electric, safety starts at the very top with the owner’s commitment to awareness and training.

All foremen are provided bimonthly training on a variety of subjects, ranging from new hire orientation to trenching and shoring. The foremen use these training sessions to compare safety concerns and discuss solutions.

Valley Electric has a hands-on safety director, Jamie Stuart, to encourage and promote a safety attitude among employees. Stuart spends 80 percent of his time in the field increasing safety awareness, reviewing safety meetings and providing a forum for employee input. Stuart also provides strong industry leadership by participating in numerous safety committees such as AGC’s Ergonomics Task Force and the American Society of Safety Engineers, as well as providing safety training to the AGC and Central Washington University.

Valley Electric’s experience modification rating for 2004 was reduced to a .44, giving it the second lowest EMR for electrical contractors in the state and the 16th lowest for all registered contractors.