Our Safety Culture

Safety First, Always

Safety goes above and beyond our daily operations. Our commitment to building an industry-leading safety culture means protecting not only our team, but our communities. Our safety culture is fueled by our team members across the Midwest. From cybersecurity to system enhancements and hazard analysis, our team focuses on ensuring the safe, reliable delivery of energy to families and customers who count on us.

Our Life Saving Elements

These five elements are at the core of our safety culture, guiding our actions and decisions every day to ensure everyone goes home safe.

Drive Safely

Many take it for granted, but time spent behind the wheel is the most dangerous part of everyone's day across the country. Put away devices, concentrate, be mindful of the task at hand, and if at all possible, avoid backing out of a parking place.

Care for Your Coworkers

Stay vigilant when working with others. Speak up when you see any unsafe acts or potential hazards. At Southern Star, we regularly provide feedback to one another to improve our workplace safety.

Perform a Job Hazard Analysis

Before you begin a project, take some time to consider the situation. Do you have the right tools? Are there hazards around you that you need to factor in or potentially eliminate? Southern Star performs these in writing, but you can take an informal approach and study your safety situation ahead of and throughout the course of the project.

Lock It Out

When working around stored energy, whether electrical or mechanical, it’s essential to take deliberate safety precautions to prevent accidents. At home, this might mean turning off a circuit breaker rather than just flipping a light switch when working on a light fixture. When working on vehicles, disable them properly by unhooking the battery, hiding all keys, and chocking the wheels when appropriate. These simple steps can prevent serious injuries and accidents caused by unexpected energy release.

Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Safety glasses and ear protection are not just for the workplace. Permanent damage can also occur at home working in the yard, workshop, or garage without proper protection. Take a moment to preserve the abilities you want to keep for a lifetime.

Contractors

Contractors performing work for Southern Star are subject to various requirements imposed by the Department of Transportation (DOT), one of the governmental entities that regulate Southern Star.

Contractors providing individuals that perform Covered Tasks as defined by the Operator Qualification Rule must comply with that rule and satisfy Southern Star that they comply with an accepted Operator Qualifications (OQ) Plan. Contractors providing such individuals must be approved by Southern Star and must work with Southern Star’s third-party OQ administrator, Veriforce, to attain such approval. Veriforce will verify for Southern Star that such Contractors maintain and adhere to an acceptable Operator Qualification Plan. Southern Star will provide Contractors with information about Veriforce.

Contractors performing Safety Sensitive Functions as defined by the DOT’s Drug & Alcohol Testing Regulations must be approved by Southern Star to perform such functions and must work with Southern Star’s third-party administrator, National Compliance Management Service (NCMS), to attain such approval. NCMS will verify for Southern Star that such Contractors maintain and adhere to an acceptable Drug & Alcohol Testing Plan.

Cybersecurity

At Southern Star, we remain committed to continuing to improve our cybersecurity through system improvements, team member training and education. Our safety culture embraces the importance every team member plays in our overall security awareness. Our company remains focused on finding opportunities to continue improving our security across our footprint with technology and industry advancements.