ISPC Tailboard Talks

In episode 15, host Mark Forster and special cohost Mack Turner, Executive Director of ISPC, sit down from the trade show floor at the NWPPA/APA Alaska Electric Utility Conference in Anchorage to discuss the challenges of cold weather work and some tips to keep yourself safe in cold conditions while performing work.
Don Maynor, Loss Control and Safety Specialist at Alaska Power Association, shares his experience and insights into the challenges of performing work in the electric utility space in Alaska. Mark, Mack, and Don discuss everything from resources, to training, to cold weather challenges, to the electric utility infrastructure challenges and more.
This episode is sponsored by:T&D PowerSkills
 
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[0:40] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[1:37] Tailboard Talk: Cold Weather Preparedness
[7:01] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[8:10] Special Guest: Don Maynor, Alaska Power Assocation
[34:10] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[34:49] Conclusion

In episode 14, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens continue their discussion on The Power of Mental Wellness, Part 2 with special guest Mark Taylor, CUSP, Senior Advisor of Corporate Services at Primary Engineering and Construction in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Mark Taylor, CUSP continues to share with Mark and Jerry his story regarding mental wellness, and the importance of creating a support network. He discusses what it took for him to come to grips with his struggles, before finally reaching out for help in dealing with mental illness.
This episode is sponsored by:
T&D Power Skills
 
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[1:25] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[4:11] Tailboard Talk: The Power of Mental Wellness
[42:09] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[43:26] Special Guest: Mark Taylor, CUSP
[50:59] Conclusion
[52:10] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills

In episode 13, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back for The Power of Mental Wellness, Part 1 with special guest Mark Taylor, CUSP, Senior Advisor of Corporate Services at Primary Engineering and Construction in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark and Jerry share and discuss mental wellness, as well as statistics on suicide in the construction industry. In our special guest segment, we have a great conversation with Mark Taylor, CUSP who shares his personal struggles with mental wellness throughout his life and career. He discusses what it took for him to come to grips with his struggles, before finally reaching out for help in dealing with mental illness.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of The Power of Mental Wellness, coming soon.
This episode is sponsored by: T&D Power Skills
 
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[1:42] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[3:20] Tailboard Talk: The Power of Mental Wellness
[17:44] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[18:51] Special Guest: Mark Taylor, CUSP
[43:18] Conclusion
[44:24] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
 

In episode 12, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back for Training and Accountability, joined by special guest Kody Morris, Transmission and Distribution Manager for Lubbock Power and Light in Lubbock Texas.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark and Jerry, discuss training and accountability and what OSHA says about that. They discuss how training and accountability can reduce incidents if the company and the employee work together.  In this episode’s special guest segment, Mark and Jerry talk with Kody Morris about his journey, LP&Ls conversion to ERCOT, how LP&L supports the community and everything training and accountability at LP&L.
This episode is sponsored by:T&D PowerSkills
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[2:09] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[4:08] Tailboard Talk: Fall Protection
[13:21] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[14:42] Special Guest: Kody Morris, Lubbock Power and Light
[52:46] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[53:28] Conclusion

In episode 11, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back in Harnessing Safety: The Importance of Fall Protection where they are joined by special guest Kat Clemmons-Lea, Co-owner/Vice President of JELCO, a manufacturer of fall protection equipment since 1892.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark and Jerry, discuss training, care, maintenance, and inspection of fall protection equipment. They go over OSHA’s requirements and what you need to know to make sure your fall protection PPE will do its job. In this episode’s special guest segment, Mark and Jerry talk with Kat Clemmons-Lea about her career, the history of JELCO, and what makes JELCO one of the top fall protection manufacturers. Then Kat shares some exciting news about JELCO that you won’t want to miss.
This episode is sponsored by:T&D PowerSkills
[0:00] Introduction
[1:11] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[2:23] Tailboard Talk: Harnessing Safety
[8:54] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[10:11] Special Guest: Kat Clemmons-Lea, JELCO, Inc.
[47:28] Sponsor Message: T&D PowerSkills
[47:56] Conclusion
 

In episode 10, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back for episode 10 called So you want to be a lineworker? where they are joined by special guest Curtis Bradley Jr., VP-Safety, Quality, and Training for the Desoto Group and Founder of Premier Lineman Consulting and the author of a book called “Selected to Lead” A foreman’s guide to success and his latest book called Welcome to Linework, An Apprentice’s Action Guide..
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark, Jerry, and Curtis discuss what it takes to be a valued apprentice, building a solid work ethic and teamwork skills, Effective communication on the job site, the importance of physical fitness and personal well-being, and Curtis shares his take to anyone out there trying to decide whether or not to become a lineworker what it takes.
 
This podcast is sponsored by:
Gritty Tools www.grittytools.com
Eliminating Workplace Injuries One Tool at a Time.
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[0:57] Sponsor Message: Gritty Tools
[1:51] Special Guest: Curtis, Bradley, Jr., DeSoto Group
[52:29] Sponsor Message: Gritty Tools
[53:31] Conclusion
 

In episode 09, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back for episode 09 called Are We Just Talking the Talk? where they are joined by special guest Derek Grimes, Director of Safety for El Paso Electric.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark, Jerry, and Derek discuss the core elements of an effective safety program, having good safety conversations, types of safety conversations and how to make sure those conversations aren’t avoided, stories that can enhance safety conversations, as well as leading by example.
This podcast is sponsored by:Bierer Meters https://www.bierermeters.com and the Electric Culture of Safety https://electriccultureofsafety.com 
Timeline:
[0:00] Introduction
[1:19] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[2:21] Special Guest: Brent Jeffries, VP of Field Operations, Bierer Meters
[9:38] Tailboard Talk: Core Elements of an Effective Safety Program
[28:53] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[31:45] Tailboard Talk, continued
[46:59 ] Sponsor Message: Electric Culture of Safety (ECOS) - Bierer Meters
[48:55] Conclusion

In episode 08, host Mark Forster is back for episode 08 called Partnering for “LIFE”. In this episode, he highlights some lifelong partnerships that are being developed through a grassroots approach to safety and training in the electric utility industry to help save lives every day.
 
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark sits down with special guest Brent Jeffries, VP of Field Operations and Safety Training at Bierer Meters. They discuss tool safety and the efforts that Brent and Bierer Meters have taken to help ensure that people in the industry understand the reality of what meters do and the potential dangers they can pose to workers.  
Mark continues his conversation with Brent Jeffries, discussing Brent’s journey in the utility industry and the creation of the  constantly growing Electric Culture of Safety (ECOS). Then Mark lets the cat out of the bag about a partnership being formed by ISPC and Bierer Meters to create a state of the art training facility on the Bierer campus in Blythewood, South Carolina. Through partnerships and a grassroots approach, the training facility will be used to train the next generation of lineworkers.
This podcast is sponsored by Bierer Meters (bierermeters.com) and the Electric Culture of Safety (electriccultureofsafety.com)
[0:00] Introduction
[0:50] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[1:51] Tailboard Talk: Tool Safety
[20:56] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[22:18] Special Guest: Brent Jeffries, VP of Field Operations, Bierer Meters
[50:34 ] Sponsor Message: Electric Culture of Safety (ECOS) - Bierer Meters
[51:42] Conclusion