SUMMARY

Kelso-Burnett, a top electrical contractor in Chicago, took action to ensure their electricians were adhering to their safety policy and wearing their PPE. Kelso-Burnett management heard about the Enespro AirLite™ 40 Cal kits, ordered some for their field employees to try and received great feedback. The employee involvement in this process associated with a great product led to employee buy-in with a sense of personal ownership and a feeling of partnership with the PPE manufacturer.

Kelso-Burnett Co. is a 111-year old, employee-owned electrical contractor serving the Chicagoland area. They offer traditional electrical services in industrial and commercial distribution systems, including critical power, electrical demolition, design, lighting, maintenance and service, and power distribution.

CHALLENGE: ENSURE ELECTRICIANS ADHERE TO THE COMPANY PPE POLICY

Like many large electrical contractors, Kelso-Burnett wanted to ensure employees were wearing electrical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in high-risk areas when dealing with potential arc flash situations. Bill Pineda, Kelso-Burnett’s Safety Director, explained a little bit about the safety culture at Kelso-Burnett and the challenge itself. “Our employees take pride in our strong safety culture and excellent record, but the bulkiness and weight of the old PPE made it hard for these people to commit to wearing their PPE all the time. They understand PPE is necessary in such potentially dangerous situations so they put up with it, but I wanted to find some better gear for my field employees. They deserve it.”

Part of the problem, as Pineda pointed out, is that traditional electrical PPE is not easy to work with and is widely disliked by field employees. “The bulky and uncomfortable elements of traditional electrical PPE made it more difficult for employees to do their job, especially in summer in Chicago,” Pineda said. He continued, “Not only was the gear not good to work in, it wasn’t holding up either. It all came in standard duffel bags which got beat up in gang boxes and made us replace our equipment more often than necessary.” Kelso-Burnett Co. wanted a better solution, so they contacted Enespro to try the new PPE on the market.

SOLUTION: ENESPRO AIRLITE™ 40 CAL ARC FLASH KITS.

After assessing a variety of products on the market, Kelso-Burnett decided to work with Enespro for their electrical PPE needs. They acquired several Enespro 40 Cal Arc Flash kits with OptiShield™ Vented lift-front hoods to test out the new approach to PPE.

The feedback from the Enespro PPE that was sent out for trial was extremely positive at Kelso-Burnett. Pineda explained, “The guys love it. The suits are lighter and breathe better, which makes a huge difference.”

Pineda also described how complaints about PPE compliance have significantly dropped since switching to Enespro. “You actually hear some compliments come back about the new gear which says something about the product, considering it’s still PPE we are talking about! It gives me confidence that our field employees will continue to wear this gear.” Pineda also described how the Enespro solution, storage bags with a special protective area for face shields, adds a great deal of durability. “Now our guys can continue to store their PPE in the gang box with everything else without having to worry about damaging it.”

Importantly, the new, ultra-lite gear Enespro has been providing to Kelso-Burnett has contributed to a sense of personal ownership among their workers. “It helps when our workers value their safety and their PPE provided because part of working safely deals with a personal attitude towards their work. When they are equipped with the right tools and equipment they like and trust, they focus on the task at hand. It allows them to work the right way, safely,” Pineda explained.

Pineda was also impressed by Enespro’s commitment to consider the feedback they received from Kelso-Burnett’s field employees during testing. “It feels like a partnership. Our guys were honest about the PPE you [Enespro] provided us with all day and we gave feedback. Then you made everything you can do to improve it, and that means a lot to us,” Pineda explained. This ongoing cooperation gives Kelso-Burnett confidence that they will keep their workforce satisfied.

Kelso-Burnett Co. is continuing to build on their successful safety platform by providing premium, ultra-lite 70 Cal kits. In fact, Pineda loves how Enespro PPE can improve the safety culture in a positive way, all without compromising comfort.