Page 52 - IEC Insights May-June21_PAGES

FEATURE

JACK: Twelve years ago, I
was hired as a safety and tool
expert at Cooper Electric, and I
was the first person across all of
Sonepar USA to take on this kind
of role. The job is so dynamic. I
really like delving into what our
customers are working on and
helping them apply solutions. I offer
hands-on safety training, advise on products, provide product
samples for them to try, and just keep the conversation going.
GINA: Sonepar was the first electrical distributor to have a
safety program in California. Over the last decade, we have
grown our program from the ground up with fresh eyes. The
key was asking a million questions. Cal-OSHA regulations keep
us busy – continuously researching, learning, and applying that
knowledge to help keep our customers’ employees safe.

RAJ: Taking a moment to reflect, how did safety requirements
impact the electrical industry during the pandemic?
JACK: Initially, job sites were shut down immediately across
the country, and demand for PPE spiked beyond what we
could imagine.
REBECA: I’d also like to mention our digital capabilities
REBECA: As a safety group, we kept each other very can help smaller contractors manage their safety and tool
informed and creatively sourced the PPE our customers equipment needs. We create custom lists for our customers, so
desperately needed. It was crazy. We shared new regulations they can just jump on our app or website to reorder what they
and problem-solved in real-time at a pace we had never need in a fast and efficient manner.
experienced before.
GINA: Yes, we have created lots of PPE category templates
GINA: I’ll share that my work and personal life crossed paths (gloves, hats, vests, eyewear, Arc Flash kits, lock out/tag out kits,
this year, as I am immuno-compromised and wanted to do my and fall protection). We can customize these templates for each
best to understand everything that needed to be done to keep customer to include the right product for the right application,
myself and customers safe. Like everyone else, the company saving them time and money while keeping them compliant.
had to quickly formulate an entirely different go-to-market plan
and inventory build. We created a COVID-19 “Get Back to Work” JACK: And, they can even download an app on their smart
brochure featuring all the new COVID-19-compliant products: phone to scan barcodes to place orders digitally and place an
We were updating and sending as quickly as regulations were order online. The convenience factor is there, once we know
changing and product was arriving to inventory. the safety specs they need to meet on specific projects.

RAJ: I think I’d like to close by reiterating the reasons RAJ: Any last thoughts?
contractors should have safety on their radar every day.
The most important thing is to keep your employees safe GINA: OSHA30. OSHA’s 30-hour training course prepares
at the jobsite so they go home uninjured. From a business supervisors and workers to avoid workplace safety and health
perspective, avoiding fines and maintaining a healthy safety risks and to identify, predict, and avoid hazards in the workplace.
score will allow you to qualify for bids. The safety score will Looping back to the beginning of our conversation – investing in
also impact your insurance premiums. Your distributor can help safety training and equipment can help everyone go home safe.
support you in building and maintaining your safety program.

50 Insights Magazine | May/June 2021 | www.ieci.org