How AEP Leveraged Field Vigilance to Uncover a Hidden Safety Hazard
The Challenge
During a routine site walk in a staging area, a protruding 7-inch rebar segment was discovered in the compacted stone base where vehicles and equipment were actively traveling. Upon extraction, the buried steel was over three feet long, posing a serious puncture hazard to vehicle tires, potential injury to personnel, and a risk to underground infrastructure if left unaddressed. The root cause was traced to improperly screened aggregate delivered by a third-party supplier.
The Solution
The issue was immediately escalated to the contractor, who safely extracted the embedded rebar using a machine and a strap. The team was briefed on the event, and the area was re-inspected for additional debris. Going forward, the crew implemented a standard practice of visually scanning and checking staging and traffic zones after aggregate placement, particularly when material is sourced from unfamiliar or unscreened suppliers.
Key Benefits
- Enhanced Material QA/QC: Raised awareness of the need for tighter oversight of aggregate materials from third-party vendors.
- Hazard Mitigation: Averted equipment damage and potential safety incidents through early detection and removal.
- Proactive Field Culture: Reinforced the value of field vigilance and informal walkdowns beyond formal inspections.
- Process Improvement: Triggered discussions around requiring material screening certifications or random QA checks from vendors.
The Results
- No damage or injuries occurred due to the hazard.
- Preventative material inspection protocols were introduced for future deliveries.
- The event is now cited in internal safety briefings as an example of the value of continuous vigilance—even in “low-risk” staging areas.
- It strengthened the relationship between field personnel and contractors by modeling effective, immediate corrective action.
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