Canyon State Electric

Canyon State Electric deserves the Most Impactful People honor because its employees consistently create innovative programs and take them outside of the company to benefit the overall community. CSE’s work in suicide prevention and heat safety have made massive impacts and spread to other companies and organizations in the Phoenix area.

The 4×5 Suicide Prevention Program, now an independent 501c3 non-profit organization, was created in May 2022 as a mental health awareness initiative. The suicide rate in the construction industry is four times higher than the national average, and Canyon State Electric’s leaders knew they needed to address the issue within the company and the industry. The reaction was so strong that 4×5 was created and launched last year with the goal of training construction professionals in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). This life-saving technique equips workers to address those facing mental health crises and guide them to seek professional help.

Since its launch last year, dozens of construction professionals from eight partner organizations have taken the eight-hour course to become certified in MHFA. The demand is so great that grants have been issued to train more instructors and hold classes more frequently. Additionally, Canyon State Electric employees who volunteer with 4×5 have been invited to speak at dozens of client, networking organizations, and governmental safety summits about mental health and its impact on the construction industry.

Another issue plaguing the Arizona workforce is heat safety. In 2023, Maricopa County reported nearly 650 deaths from dangerously high summer temperatures. While the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety & Health has some guidelines for heat safety, there is no policy to enforce on job sites. Canyon State Electric, however, has been a leader in heat safety, creating an innovative policy that has kept all workers safe and comfortable throughout the summer months. The policy mandates how much water to have on-site, instructs when to administer electrolytes, equips each employee with a hydration backpack, and has forged a partnership with Mobile IV Nurses to treat laborers facing heat exhaustion.

Impressed by the comprehensive policy, the Industrial Commission of Arizona and ADOSH invited CSE’s Director of Safety & Training to participate on a governmental heat advisory board. This group is bound by a two-year agreement that seeks to create, disseminate, and enforce a heat safety policy similar to the one in place at Canyon State Electric.

While many companies would hope to guard these innovative programs and use them as recruiting tools, Canyon State Electric believes there is no competition in safety. CSE is proud to share these tools and tactics with all companies—even direct competitors—if it means more workers go home to their families every day. By sharing this work, CSE impacts the greater community, keeping mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers safe.

About the Author

Taye Shobajo