MYR Group Launches In-House Technical Training Workshop for Safety Professionals
In the evolving world of construction and utility work, safety is not just a box to check—it’s a dynamic, ever-advancing profession. Techniques change, technologies evolve, and new best practices continually emerge. For MYR Group, a recognized leader in electrical infrastructure solutions, this means committing to continuous improvement, not only for its field crews but also for its team of safety professionals.
In 2025, MYR Group’s corporate safety training team introduced a bold new initiative: an in-house technical training workshop specifically designed for safety specialists. The workshop aims to bridge the gap between safety personnel and field crews—particularly in the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) sectors—by equipping safety professionals with foundational electrical knowledge, hands-on experience, and a deeper understanding of linework operations.
The Vision: Elevating Safety Through Technical Competence
“Safety, like any other profession, is never stagnant,” said Steve Foster, MYR Group’s Director of Safety Training. “There’s always room to grow, new insights to gain, and practices to evolve. Our safety training team is committed to staying at the forefront, ensuring our professionals are not only informed but empowered.”
Historically, many safety specialists enter their roles with a background in industrial safety, compliance, or general occupational health—but not necessarily in electrical operations. Recognizing this disconnect, MYR Group sought to create a tailored program that would educate safety personnel on the same technical theories, standards, and practices that lineworkers learn during their own training.
Foster emphasized the importance of this alignment: “We wanted to give our safety specialists more technical training and dive into the details of how and why we perform grounding, bonding, equipotential zone (EPZ) creation, and insulation and isolation. The goal is for them to be able to understand what’s happening on job sites, assess the integrity of grounding schemes, and ask well-informed questions.”
The Catalyst: A Lineworker’s Perspective
The development of this program was significantly influenced by Kyle Gawloski, a journeyman lineworker who joined MYR Group in early 2024 and now serves as the company’s Safety Training Manager. Upon joining, Gawloski prioritized time in the field to observe real-world work conditions and safety practices across MYR Group’s subsidiaries.
His background gave him a unique lens to identify challenges and opportunities. He quickly noticed a key gap—many safety professionals, while experienced in safety protocols, lacked the technical fluency to effectively evaluate or communicate about linework.
“We can’t expect better safety outcomes or meaningful crew observations if our safety professionals don’t know what to look for,” Gawloski said. “My mission was to raise that baseline of understanding so our team could be more impactful.”
When he presented his findings and proposed a technical workshop to address the issue, company leadership was not only receptive but enthusiastic. “It was empowering,” Gawloski said. “At a company as large as MYR Group, it’s rare to be heard so clearly as a new employee. I identified an issue, offered a solution, and they trusted me to run with it.”
A Workshop Built for Real-World Impact
Gawloski’s proposal evolved into a robust two-day training event hosted at MYR Group’s training facility in Alvarado, Texas. The workshop combined classroom instruction with interactive tabletop exercises and practical, hands-on simulations in the training yard.
Thirteen safety professionals from across multiple subsidiaries took part in the inaugural session, diving deep into topics such as electrical theory, bonding, grounding, minimum approach distances, and the proper use of insulated tools like “hot sticks.” Each participant donned full safety gear—rubber gloves and sleeves—and performed simulated linework tasks under controlled conditions.
The goal wasn’t just to reinforce theory but to offer a first-person perspective of a lineworker’s daily challenges. “We wanted to put them in the lineworker’s 3-foot world,” Gawloski explained. “That means understanding how ergonomics, body positioning, and environmental obstacles affect how the work gets done—and where potential shortcuts or mistakes can happen.”
This immersive training style led to numerous “aha” moments among the participants. Michael McLaughlin, Safety Manager at MYR Group subsidiary E.S. Boulos, said the experience was transformative. “It was eye-opening to see how easy it is to lose sight of safety procedures when you’re out there under pressure. Even we, as safety professionals, made mistakes during the simulations. That hands-on experience helped us grasp just how challenging and nuanced the job really is.”
Building Confidence and Relationships in the Field
Beyond the technical benefits, the training also plays a vital role in building mutual respect between safety professionals and field crews. Safety, at its core, is about communication and trust. Foster underscored the value of credibility: “It’s not easy to walk up to a seasoned lineworker and question their work if you don’t understand it yourself. This training gives our specialists the knowledge—and confidence—to engage in those conversations meaningfully.”
Gawloski agrees. “Safety isn’t just policies—it’s people. It’s relationships. When our safety specialists can speak the same language as the crews and truly understand what they’re doing, it strengthens those relationships and creates a culture of shared accountability.”
The “golden nuggets,” as Gawloski calls them—small but powerful insights gained during training—can translate into stronger job site evaluations, more effective coaching, and ultimately safer work environments.
Institutionalizing the Training for the Future
Due to the success of the first session, MYR Group’s corporate training team plans to institutionalize the workshop, offering it twice a year—in the spring and fall. Additionally, it will now be a required component of onboarding for all newly hired safety specialists, who must attend within their first six months on the job.
The long-term vision is to create a company-wide baseline of technical competency among safety professionals, ensuring that every one of them—regardless of background—can meaningfully contribute to safe and effective field operations.
“Technical training is now foundational,” Gawloski noted. “It’s not optional. If we want our safety team to truly support our field crews, this kind of education is essential.”
Investing in People, Elevating Safety
MYR Group’s new workshop is more than just a training program—it’s a strategic investment in people, relationships, and long-term safety outcomes. By equipping safety professionals with the tools, knowledge, and perspective of a lineworker, the company is closing the gap between theory and practice—and reinforcing its culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
In an industry where the smallest mistake can have significant consequences, MYR Group is proving that technical excellence and human connection go hand in hand—and that even in the safety profession, learning never stops.
