Leadership talks safety with Great River Energy employees

Two members of Great River Energy’s leadership team recently set out to talk safety with field employees. 

The purpose of the visits was to gain a better understanding about work happening in the field, provide an opportunity for employees to share challenges or ask questions, and for employees to highlight safety improvements they have identified and implemented. 

Great River Energy Vice President and Chief Transmission Officer Priti Patel visited Dickinson Station in April where she met with Tony Geldert, leader of high-voltage, direct-current (HVDC) converter stations, and others who took her on a tour of the station and reviewed recent safety improvements they made.

“She was very engaged and was happy we have technicians and engineers that take pride in maintaining the HVDC system,” Geldert said. 

Geldert said they went over Dickinson’s recovery system for confined spaces and talked about plans to change to new arc-quenching switch gear in the next couple of years. Among other topics, Patel also learned about using electric pallet jacks to move 2,000-pound glycol totes around instead of manual pallet jack to prevent sprains and strains. 

“We appreciate showing others what we do,” Geldert said. “We are thankful she visited to show us support and emphasize the commitment the company has for safety.” 

“It was helpful having our employees explain the specific operation of our facilities, the conditions our employees work within, some of the risks associated with that type of work, and mitigations that are taken to maintain safety at all times,” Patel said. “It gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the thoughtfulness, expertise, and focus on safety our employees have for themselves and one another.”  

Patel said the safety culture at Great River Energy is built upon trust and strong relationships.

Elk River warehouse visit  

Great River Energy Vice President and Chief Corporate & Member Services Officer Mark Fagan had a similar experience when he headed to Great River Energy’s Elk River warehouse for a tour. Mike Jasper, leader of materials and warehouse, and Paula Mastel, manager of supply management services, went over the safety aspects of the facility’s setup and some new efficiency ideas they had.  

Jasper said he wanted to showcase how the materials services team re-organized and consolidated material in Elk River so they can utilize the racking more safely. With the new organization, items that are rarely used were placed higher in the racking and would require material handling equipment to pull down, which freed up space in the racking for the more commonly used items to be placed lower for easier and safer access.

“The process of consolidating material into smaller areas also helps us be more efficient and accurate while performing annual cycle counts, thus improving customer service,” Jasper said. 

Jasper explained the warehouse is an ever-changing environment due to the differences in demand for certain items and supply chain restraints. 

Fagan said it’s important for leaders to be present for employees where they work. 

“Site visits provide insights to leaders regarding general working conditions, safety concerns and budgetary needs,” Fagan said. “For me, that involved the opportunity to walk down our warehouse facility at Elk River. In addition to seeing the materials services employees hard at work, I was also able to see, firsthand, some of the recent business improvements the team has implemented.”