BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The week of
April 18, Southern Nuclear hosted
renowned safety presenter Candace
Carnahan at high schools near each of its plant sites and
the corporate office to educate students on the importance of
maintaining safety awareness to avoid preventable accidents.
Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is located
in Birmingham and operates Alabama
Power's Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala., and Georgia Power's Edwin I.
Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley,
Ga., and Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near
Waynesboro, Ga.
"Southern Nuclear's top priority is the safety of our employees
and plant neighbors," said Joe
Parham, Southern Nuclear Fleet Safety and Health manager.
"We partnered with Candace to promote safety to students in our
communities and prepare our future workforce for what will always
remain our top priority in everything we do."
Candace Carnahan shared her
personal story about a devastating workplace incident in which she
lost her lower left leg at the age of 21. She was working in a
paper mill during her summer break from college, and while using a
shortcut she picked up from fellow workers, her foot became caught
in a conveyor belt that had no emergency stop system. A nearby
worker was able to stop the conveyor and save Carnahan's life. Now,
she uses her experience to share a positive message with audiences
on eliminating preventable injuries.
"The first step in not getting hurt is knowing that you can be,"
she says.
"Our students were energized by Candace. She truly has a passion
to promote workplace safety and warn others about the potential
dangers of following the crowd," said Sabrina Campbell, Toombs County High School
Career Technical Instruction program coordinator.
Burke County High School energy student Ar'nyya Walden
said, "She made me realize that I am not invincible." Ali Gilbert added, "I now realize that getting
hurt not only affects me, but it also affects my friends and
family."
Carnahan's presentation put classroom learnings into perspective
for Gabe Chavis, a pre-engineering
student at Houston County Career and Technical Center.
"We designed conveyor systems and had to build emergency stops,
and now I have a better understanding of why," he said.
Chavis' pre-engineering instructor, Shannon Jimmerson, said, "I love that this story
has helped our students make the leap from classroom projects to
real-world applications. It's so great when you see a student
get it."
"Our students were in awe of Candace's story. Her message of 'if
you see something, say something' resonated with them when dealing
with workplace safety," said Zac
McWhorter, Career Tech resource specialist with Shelby County Schools. "Since situations are
always changing, students took her statement to heart about
becoming too complacent in the workplace. One must always be aware
and focused."
For more information on Carnahan, visit the Candace Carnahan
website.
Southern Nuclear and Candace
Carnahan tour schedule
April 18 – Plant Vogtle
Burke County High School, Waynesboro,
Ga.
Richmond County Career Tech High School, Augusta, Ga.
April 19 – Plant Hatch
Toombs County High School, Lyons,
Ga.
Jefferson Davis High School,
Hazlehurst, Ga.
April 20 – Plant Farley
Northview High School, Dothan,
Ala.
Houston Country Career and Technical Programs Center, Ashford, Ala.
April 21 – Corporate
Shelby County College and Career
Center, Columbiana, Ala.
Shelby County High School, Columbiana,
Ala.
About Southern Nuclear:
Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary
of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is one of the nation's leading
nuclear energy facility operators. Producing safe, reliable and
environmentally friendly nuclear energy, Southern Nuclear operates
a total of six units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the
Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant
near Baxley, Ga., and the Alvin W.
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the
licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at
Plant Vogtle, which will be the first nuclear units constructed in
the United States in more than 30
years. Southern Nuclear employs more than 3,500 skilled and
dedicated professionals who are committed each day to nuclear and
personal safety and the health and safety of the public. The
company's headquarters is based in Birmingham, Ala.
Twitter: @SouthernNuclear; Facebook:
facebook.com/southernnuclear;
www.southerncompany.com/southernnuclear
About Southern Company:
With more than 4.5 million
customers and approximately 46,000 megawatts of generating
capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the
premier energy company serving the Southeast through its
subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and
affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in
four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well
as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company
brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability
and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through
an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and
its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by
developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including
nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy
efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit
of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S.
Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top
military employer, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of
the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a 2014 Top
Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company earned the
2014 National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the
National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment
to nuclear development, and is continually ranked among the top
utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric
and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website
at www.southerncompany.com
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