September 23, 2019

Lead Lineman Aaron Shropshire thinks his coworkers at Potomac Edison’s Berkeley Springs (W.Va.) Service Center have the right outlook regarding safety.

“It all comes down to having a positive attitude,” said Aaron. “We stay focused on our work and we follow the company’s safety rules. Everyone who works at Berkeley Springs wants to return home to their families at the end of each workday.”

Having a positive attitude has helped the Berkeley Springs group work for seven years without incurring an Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)-recordable injury. Jim Sears, president, Maryland Operations, recently presented the facility’s employees with the President’s Safety Excellence Award during a lunch celebration.

“We have a great group of employees at Berkeley Springs,” said Bill Hanshew, supervisor, Regional Operations. “They are experienced, they make good decisions on the job, and most important, they don’t cut corners when it comes to working safely.”

Bill believes that another big part of the group’s success is the size of the service center and the camaraderie of the people who work there. “Since there are only 23 employees at Berkeley Springs, we are a close-knit group,” he continued. “Everyone communicates well and watches out for each other’s safety.”

Bargaining-unit employees at Berkeley Springs are represented by the Utility Workers Union of America Local 102.