Officials reported significant improvements in employee safety during the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) November 20 budget workshop, citing the lowest number of injuries seen in years. Staff shared that workplace safety incidents dropped sharply in 2024, with only a dozen recordable injuries reported so far. Several speakers said this reflects a broader cultural shift across the organization.
Much of the progress is attributed to increased employee involvement in safety committees, stronger accountability practices, and improvements to protective equipment. Staff described how employees now help identify upgrades to helmets, fire resistant gear, and other essential items, allowing the organization to respond directly to field level feedback.
Another change highlighted during the workshop involves a more proactive response after any incident occurs. Within forty eight business hours after an injury, members of the human resources team meet with supervisors and involved employees to review what happened and determine how to prevent similar issues in the future. Staff said this rapid follow up has helped identify patterns earlier and led to improvements in training and equipment use.
Because of these changes, BPU has seen a decrease not only in injury frequency but also in injury severity. Workers compensation spending has also declined. Staff characterized the developments as signs of a healthier safety culture, with employees more engaged and committed to looking out for one another.
The safety discussion also connected to ongoing capital needs. With aging infrastructure, BPU crews continue to manage equipment that in some cases is more than fifty years old. Staff noted that improving safety and reliability often depends on replacing outdated components, which may appear in future budget cycles.
As BPU prepares its 2026 budget for final consideration, staff said maintaining a strong safety culture will remain a core objective, reflecting the utility’s commitment to employee well being and operational reliability.
