ENERGYUNITED CHAMPIONS LINEMEN SAFETY

Thanks to strong advocacy efforts from EnergyUnited and North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, North Carolina recently passed a law that provides greater safety for utility lineworkers from harassment while working in the field.

Senate Bill (SB) 311 was signed by Gov. Josh Stein in July after passing the NC House and Senate with bipartisan support. The bill increases the penalty for assaulting a utility or communications worker from a Class 2 to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The utility worker must be readily identifiable by wearing the logo of their utility company on their person for the increased penalty to apply.

EnergyUnited spoke with lawmakers in Raleigh earlier this year about increasing safety for utility workers. Brett Berry, a lineman for EnergyUnited, shared his perspective about why these protections are needed during the cooperative’s legislative meetings.

“Sometimes our linemen have to work late at night or in bad weather,” Berry said. “You never know what you are going to run into in these situations—not just with the weather or the job, but people who don’t want you on their property. Our job is to serve, and we know people need electricity. This bill makes it clear: keeping our crews safe is a top priority in North Carolina.”

EnergyUnited is proud to advocate for smart policies that support our efforts to deliver safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy. Our support and advocacy for SB 311 reflects The EnergyUnited Way, with safety as our top core value.