With Saskatchewan deep in the grips of winter, SaskPower is reminding customers to clear a path to their power and gas meters to keep the company's employees safe from slips, trips and falls.
Few SaskPower employees are as familiar with the challenges winter brings as Alison Gran. A meter reader in Saskatoon for the last 30 years, Gran has undergone knee surgery twice to deal with injuries resulting from falls in the workplace, both of them involving winter missteps.
"Both times were at work," said Gran. "There was snow and if I could have seen what I was stepping on, it would have definitely made a difference."
While she's proud of what she does, Gran says winter is always a challenge for employees like her who provide services at customers' homes. Hidden obstacles and deep snow banks increase the chance of serious injury. Unfortunately, injuries like Gran's are more the rule than the exception.
"I know there's not one person who works here who hasn't slipped on covered ice or stepped through a snow-covered hole," she said. "I think every single meter reader in the province has had that happen, and I'm sure most of the injuries could have been prevented."
Though Gran says most customers are conscientious about keeping their driveways clear, she knows it can be easy for people to forget about areas around their power and gas meters in the winter.
Obstructions like snow build-up, bikes, ladders and tools around meters are particularly dangerous. Slippery sidewalks and icicles hanging over meters are also an issue.
Aside from making their property safer for themselves and their family members, customers benefit in other ways from keeping the areas around their meters clean.
"If we can read a customer's meter, then they'll get a more accurate bill," Gran said. "We can also serve customers better if we can get to their property safely, whether it's to do an inspection, mark underground lines or service equipment."
