Two power line workers prepare to pull a conductor cable into place
Commitment

Safety

The Cornerstone of Our Culture

Safety is more than something we talk about. We incorporate it into everything we do. That means we provide our people with the programs, tools, time and training to do what needs to be done without cutting corners or taking unnecessary risks. From the Michels family and senior leaders to our newest team members, we ask everyone to promise to focus on their own safety and the safety of everyone around them, whether at work and outside of it.

The truest measure of safety performance is seeing our people return home safely each day. We are honored to receive awards from our industries and partners recognizing we do all we can to support this critical initiative.

Mi-Promise logo

Michels MI-Promise

We ask our team to make a promise and commitment to themselves and others to refuse work you feel is unsafe, or work you feel you are not qualified to perform. Promises are made without fear of disciplinary action or other retribution. Please PROMISE to speak up!

Stop Work Promise logo

Stop work Promise

We ask and expect all our people to make a promise to their families and co-workers to stop or not perform any work or action that is or may be unsafe, whether on the job or in their personal lives.

10 Safety-first Actions

An energy bolt with a lock beside it.

Energy Isolation and Control

Always verify hazardous energy sources, including gravity, are controlled. Position yourself and others to avoid danger should a release of energy occur.

A person behind the while with their seatbelt on.

Driving

Always inspect your vehicle to ensure it is in safe and compliant condition prior to use, possess a property and valid license, drive free of impairments, operate defensively, avoid distractions, wear your seatbelt and travel at a safe speed.

A person standing on a plateau overlooking a jobsite.

Excavation Work

Always have trenches and excavations inspected to ensure proper protection, access and egress prior to entry.

A shovel mounted into a pile of dirt.

Ground Disturbance

Always plan ground disturbance activities, locate and positively identify all utilities prior to digging and drilling, and protected any exposed utilities.

A cell phone buzzing

Incident Reporting

Always immediately report all injuries, spills and incidents to your supervisor and HSE representative.

Outline of an excavator

Equipment Operations

Always adhere to company policies and manufacturers’ recommendations for inspection and safe operation of equipment. Only operate equipment if you are trained and competent to do so and the equipment is in good working order.

A depiction of a man tied in a harness for safety purposes.

Working at Heights

Always protect yourself against a fall when working at heights or over hazardous areas. Use proper fall protection systems.

A hardhat and a safety checklist

Safety Responsibility

Always maintain and exhibit your commitment to Michels Mi-Promise and plan safety into each and every task being performed by completing a pre-task assessment to identify and communicate hazards to others.

A rotating drill piece drilling into a hole.

Rotating Equipment

Always guard or prevent exposure to rotating equipment.

A hand lifting up a weight.

Fit for Duty

Always report to work healthy, mentally and physically fit for work. Assure you’re able to safely perform work activities as assigned.

Legacy of Safety

Dale Michels stands with Michels trucks in the background in an archival photo

A Lasting Impression

Michels’ fate was in peril in our earliest days. Our founder, Dale Michels, was critically injured when a crude side boom fell onto him, crushing his hip. His recovery took more than a year. Day-to-day operations were left in the hands of Jerry Eilbes, Dale’s first employee, and the crew members who believed in Dale and his goals.

Dale Michels stands next to a car in an archival photo

Commitment to Safety

Dale eventually made a full recovery. The accident left a lasting mark on his family and the fledgling company. To this day, the Michels family remains passionate about safety so other families can avoid a similar experience. That commitment is the framework for Michels’ safety culture and our promise to providing crews with sophisticated, well-maintained equipment.

Electrical Transmission & Distribution Partnership

Three people prepare conductor to get pulled into place on a power line

Working toward a common goal

Supporting our belief that the strength of an industry depends on contributions from individual participants, Michels Power participates in the Electrical Transmission & Distribution Partnership. This strategic partnership between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), electrical transmission and distribution construction contractors, the IBEW and trade associations is the result of an industry putting the safety of all employees ahead of competitive differences.

Michels Power and other Electrical Transmission & Distribution Partnership participants work together to reduce fatalities, injuries and illness in the industry through the collection, review and dissemination of data, training, best practices and communications.

Technical Training

Michels Power provides positive, engaging training in classroom environments, jobsites and one-on-one settings. We use industry-specific training methods, internally developed programs, and best practices to ensure a relevant and realistic opportunity for every training program. Our in-house trainers are drawn from specific backgrounds in the electrical transmission, distribution, and substation industry, allowing our subject matter experts to engage the workforce from a position of skills, knowledge, and experience. We supplement in-house trainers with outside vendors, IBEW union resources, and NECA. Our technical training programs are frequently evaluated to meet industry standards.

EICA training in a yard
Michels Mi-Promise Coin Logo

MI-Promises

Our award-winning MI-Promises campaign was born from a straightforward idea of asking all of our people to make a promise to their loved ones to not perform or stop any work that is or appears to be unsafe and to keep themselves and others out of harm’s way.

A woman wearing safety equipment stands near a field office
A man wearing safety equipment stands near a job site.
Aggregates being poured by a Michels dump truck.

Contact Us

Thank you for taking time to learn more about who we are and what we do. If you need additional information or are in need of a solution not addressed on these pages, please submit a message with your contact information.