IPF employees complete electrical safety training

Jan. 16, 2019

More than 100 IPF employees completed the Electrical Safety Work Practices class in early December, allowing IPF employees to learn about arc flash and other electrical hazards while earning a certificate. John Nurenberg, manager of Maintenance Services – electrical, Andy Smith, compliance officer with Occupational Safety, and Mary Clark, supervisor with Safety, coordinated the training. 

Arc flash, a type of electrical explosion, is one of the most complex hazards in the workplace. Select IPF employees were required to complete one of the four-hour sessions held at the MSU Union. 

Nurenberg brought in Robert Nicholson from JDRM Engineering, Inc. as the session instructor. His educational credentials and experience as a master electrician qualified him as the preferred candidate. Nicholson shared his own experiences and highlighted slideshows of workplace examples and incidents. 

“Nicholson worked with IPF Safety to customize the training to fit our needs,” Nurenberg added. 

The class provided IPF electricians with training to better understand procedures for safe work practices and to protect personnel by reducing exposure to major electrical hazards. The training also clarified IPF expectations for working on live electrical equipment. 

“The instructor did a great job connecting with the crews and the type of work that is being conducted at IPF,” Nurenberg said. “This connection and Mr. Nicholson's ability to make complicated problems seem simple to understand was a good investment for the employees.”