Happy New Year!!
Encore Electric had a very successful year taking care of our customers and our people. It’s amazing the stories that leadership hears on how you take care of one another and exceed safety expectations on a daily basis. As we work into 2026, let’s put out a challenge to ourselves and our teammates to continue to raise these standards of excellence.
In 2025, we implemented our Zero Voltage Verification Policy which included these incredibly important requirements:
- If you can touch it, test it
- Mandatory carrying and use of the Fluke 2AC proximity tester on all branch circuitry
- Mandatory carrying and use of the Fluke 2AC proximity tester and a separate voltage meter on all one-line and mechanical circuitry
- Live-Dead-Live testing
- Proximity and voltage meter checks accomplished weekly on all projects, utilizing a Fluke PRV240 proving unit or a known live source
In 2025, we ended the year with 4 electrical shocks. As the safety and leadership team investigated each one of these incidents, three came down to the individual not taking out their Fluke 2AC proximity tester and testing before touching a wire. The 4th involved a project team that was not completing the required weekly meter checks, a meter had gone bad, live-dead-live protocol was not followed and one of our teammates was shocked.
Our goal last year, this year and into the future is to have zero electrical shocks or arc flash incidents. The team believes that Zero Incidents is absolutely an obtainable goal.
Moving forward into this new year, let’s really look out for one another. If you see an unsafe act, help your teammate with a reminder or a possible better solution. If you see an unsafe situation, stop the work around you and work together as a team to mitigate the safety hazard. Continue to follow the process of weekly meter checks, the continual use of the Fluke 2AC proximity tester and voltage meters. Always remember to do a live-dead-live test when using any type of meter.
Once again, thank you for all that you do each and every day, and in 2026, let’s make it the year of zero electrical incidents.
Thank you from Andy, Wade, JR, Scott, Derek, Jeff, Mike and Marlin
(Field Leadership) In your daily huddle, please review all 5 of the Zero Voltage requirements listed above and below.
“If you can touch it, test it” – Consider all parts of the electrical system as potential hazards until you prove to yourself that they are safe
“Mandatory carrying and use of the Fluke 2AC proximity tester on all branch circuitry” – Having your Fluke 2AC on you and in a convenient location can create the habit of always using it
“Mandatory carrying and use of the Fluke 2AC proximity tester and a separate voltage meter on all one-line and mechanical circuitry” – For one line and mechanical, the proximity tester alone is not enough, we need to test with a working voltmeter to verify zero voltage
“Live-Dead-Live” testing – Every time we test for zero voltage, prove to yourself that your meter works before and after your test.
“Proximity and voltage meter checks accomplished weekly on all projects, utilizing a Fluke PRV240 proving unit or a known live source.” – As a project team, we need to ensure that our meters are in working condition and to make sure that our teammates know how to appropriately use their meter.