High voltage worker stories: 
MIKE STARNER

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Executive Director, Outside Line Safety & Industry Engagement

Prior roles: Tree Trimmer, Street Light, Journeyman Lineman, Foreman, Supervisor, Manager (Utility), Manager (contractor), Director of Safety
Location: Westminster, md

years in the trade: 33 years
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Work in a way that you can come home whole, with all your fingers and toes, so you can actually enjoy the life you are providing.

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Work in a way that you can come 

home whole, with all your fingers 

and toes, so you can actually enjoy 

the life you are providing.

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Stories in the trade

This series hands the mic to the folks who keep the lights on—how they got in, what they’ve seen, and where the trade’s headed

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What’s one thing about this work that outsiders totally misunderstand?

I was a pretty rough teenager, in trouble a lot and not on a great path. I dropped out after repeating ninth grade and bounced around odd jobs, not really seeing a future for myself.

 

My uncle was a foreman on a line clearance tree crew, and when I turned 18, he pulled me in partly to get me out of my parents' hair and give me some structure. What he probably didn't expect was how much I'd love it. I loved the high-risk, high-skill nature of the work, the crew environment, and the idea that your effort could move you up through the classifications.

 

I eventually became the top climber on my crew, the one others respected, and that changed how I saw myself. Working as a tree trimmer put me shoulder to shoulder with linemen in blue-sky and storm conditions, and that's where I really got exposed to line work and what those folks did for a living.

What’s something about high voltage work that people outside the trade completely misunderstand?

People who don't know the trade often see linemen as just an extension of the utility company, especially during storms when the news shows trucks and hard hats but not the complexity behind it. From the outside, it can look like "a bunch of guys standing around," when in reality you might be looking at a safety observer or a crew waiting on switching, coordination, or clearances.

 

On social media, the trade can also look "sexy": big money, big trucks, storm work, big personalities. That image misses the reality that true professionals are disciplined, highly trained craftspeople doing a complex, hazardous job in a controlled, methodical way.

 

What most people never see is the training, the planning, the communication, and the coordination with utilities, subcontractors, flagging, and locators that all have to come together so the lights stay on and the community stays safe.

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In many ways, lineworkers are forgotten first responders.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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THis trade is hard on the body so having some money working for you is a good thing to set up for your future.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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This trade is hard on the body so having some money working for you is a good thing to set up for your future.

In many ways, lineworkers are forgotten first responders.

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From your perspective now in safety leadership, what’s the biggest misconception workers have about “being safe” on the job?

A big misconception is that safety is just PPE and compliance: hard hats, glasses, FR, harnesses, things you wear so you don't get in trouble. Many workers also see "safety" as a person, the safety guy who slows things down and doesn't understand the trade. On top of that, the culture in this work often rewards the "renegade rock star" attitude. Young folks see the high-octane lineman image and think that is what success looks like.

 

The truth is, real safety is about constantly managing risk as work evolves, not just dealing with obvious hazards. It is about being situationally aware, communicating, planning for how you'll fail safely if something goes wrong, and understanding the "why" behind procedures like switching, grounding, bonding, and inspections—not just checking compliance boxes.

What’s a moment in your career where you felt: “this is why I do this work”?

The moment that always sticks with me is storm restoration and closing in a fuse after a long outage. A lot of our work hardens the grid and improves reliability, and that's important. But when a community has been in the dark for days and you and your crew finally fix the problem, close in the device, and watch a whole neighborhood light back up, that's different.

 

You hear people cheer, you know their lives are getting back to normal, and you feel that immediate impact. That's when it hits you: this is why we do this work.

Can you walk through one high-pressure or emergency situation you’ve been part of and what your role was in how it was handled?

One high-pressure situation I helped lead involved a town along a river downstream of a dam. During a major hurricane, rising floodwaters meant the town was going underwater as the dam released more water.

 

Our job was to systematically de-energize and later re-energize the town. I had command and control of the operation, working closely with gas operations and others. As the water rose, we went street by street, communicating with residents and opening and isolating equipment in a controlled sequence to protect people and assets.

 

Once the water receded, we inspected, tested, and only then began methodically restoring power. It was a long, around-the-clock operation with trailers on site, but it was a great example of coordinated, deliberate work under pressure.

 

In many ways, lineworkers are "forgotten first responders." We get called in when lines are down, fires start, and hazards are present to make scenes safe so everyone else can do their job.
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People totally misunderstand the brains and dedication this trade takes.
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I think someone who’s a self starter and can focus on the task at hand is gonna do very well in this trade.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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I think someone who’s a self starter and can focus on the task at hand is gonna do very well in this trade.

Technology has made the grid smarter, but it also demands a smarter, more informed approach to safety in the field.

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What’s a jobsite mistake or near-miss that changed how you think about safety or leadership?

Early on, I was not the safety champion I am today. I chased respect by taking chances and trying to be the rock star, like a lot of young workers do.

 

One near-miss that really woke me up happened while working on pad-mounted equipment and underground cables. We were renewing sections of cable and doing a lot of complex switching and isolation that depended on sequencing and mapping. Because I was in a hurry and trying to "rock and roll," I rushed through the work, did not use peer checks, and did not slow down to verify location and equipment.

 

I ended up closing on an energized cable onto a grounded cable and caused a significant outage. Our hands had been on that equipment under the assumption it was de-energized. That incident hammered home how thin the line can be between "went fine" and a serious injury or fatality, and how critical methodical work, verification, and peer checks really are.

If you could go back to your first year in the trade, what would you teach yourself about staying safe and building a long career?

If I could go back to my first year, I would tell myself to stop trying to be the star of the show and focus on being a solid teammate.

 

I would spend more time listening, asking good questions, and helping the foreman by supporting his decisions instead of creating pressure to go faster or cut corners. I would be more mindful of the fact that this work can go bad quickly and that the best crews are the ones that talk through the job, anticipate hazards, and move systematically.
 

In short, I would teach myself to lead as a peer, not just perform as an individual.

What kind of person tends to last and thrive in high voltage work and what traits usually get people in trouble early on?

People who thrive in this trade have courage and a strong work ethic, but they also know how to be measured and methodical. They are willing to do hard things others do not want to do, but they pair that with planning, communication, and an ability to stay tuned into how work and hazards change over time.

 

They create buffers so they can fail safely, they communicate clearly, and they understand that no one person makes the job successful. It is a crew effort. The people who get in trouble are usually the opposite. They work in a silo, chase the spotlight, cut corners for speed or to show off, and "wing it" instead of following a plan and stopping when they are unsure.
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Technology has made the grid smarter, but it also demands a smarter, more informed approach to safety in the field.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

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My advice to anyone thinking about getting in the trade is do it, you won’t regret it! There are so many avenues that you can take. Best job I’ve ever had.

The truth is, real safety is about constantly managing risk as work evolves, not just dealing with obvious hazards.

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Have some heart for the trade, and care about your work,  

not just the income.
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What’s something you used to believe about this trade early on that you completely disagree with now?

Early on, I believed this trade was all about being rough and tumble, a pirate, a rock star. I thought success meant being the one who did the crazy stuff faster than everyone else. That mindset made me proud, but it also made me operate as an individual instead of a teammate.

 

Now I believe the opposite. Everyone's role is equally important, and real success is when the whole crew works together, communicates, and does the job safely and well.

 

I also used to think faster automatically meant better. Now I know that deliberate, methodical work often gives you a better product, fewer incidents, and ultimately a more efficient job. "Fast is slow and smooth is fast" really does apply in this trade.

How have you balanced the demands of this work, overtime, travel, pressure with family and personal life over the years?

Balancing this work with family is hard: long hours, storms, travel, and, in my current role, a lot of national-level commitments. If your heart is in it, it is rewarding, but it can pull you away from home more than you would like.

 

I have tried to stay grounded by being financially responsible, staying connected through real conversations, not just quick check-ins, and being present when I am home. That means putting the phone down, having date nights with my wife, spending time with my kids, and letting them know they are the reason I do this.

 

For linemen especially, I tell them to work in a way that you can come home whole, with all your fingers and toes, so you can actually enjoy the life you are providing.

 

You also have to watch the lifestyle that comes with travel, like bad diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and drinking, because you need to take care of your body, mind, and spirit, not just your paycheck.

How has your view of “safety” changed from when you were in the field to now leading it at a higher level?

When I was in the field, safety to me was mainly about not getting in trouble. PPE felt like a hassle: hard hats, glasses, hearing protection, arc-rated clothing. They were uncomfortable, and I did not fully believe in the protection they offered. I also did not always appreciate things like visible opens, switching and tagging, testing, and grounding. They felt like extra steps.

 

Today, I see safety as building an ecosystem where bad outcomes are less likely because hazards are actively controlled. It is about designing zones of protection, thinking about worst-case scenarios, building in space to fail safely, and creating a culture where people communicate, stop work when unsure, and solve problems together.

 

It is a much broader, more proactive view than the simple "check the PPE box" mindset I started with.

What’s the biggest thing companies get wrong when they try to improve safety culture?

Companies often chase the "flavor of the month." If they have a run of hand injuries, they roll out a big hand-safety campaign. If there are vehicle accidents, they overhaul driver training and install new cameras and mirrors.

 

It is very reactive and often focused on satisfying metrics, customers, or shareholders more than truly changing how work is done.

 

One big miss is not treating workers as subject-matter experts. The people doing the work are masters of that work, and if you want to understand risk, you have to engage them, observe how the job is actually performed, and have real conversations in the field.

 

Another mistake is overloading the system with rules, PPE, and procedures to the point that people feel they cannot operate effectively. Good safety culture gives people the tools, authority, and habits to make decisions in real time, stop when they are unsure, and speak up regularly about safety challenges instead of just chasing a number on a dashboard.

Have you ever had to make a call that prioritized safety over production pressure and got pushback for it? What happened?

In my career, I have not often had someone directly tell me, "Do this unsafe thing to get it done faster." Most of the pressure I have seen is self-imposed or implied.

 

As linemen, we are naturally driven. We want to be efficient, creative, and we take pride in getting things done quickly. That can lead us to create our own shortcuts, believing that saving time is always a win, without fully appreciating the risk we are taking on. There is real pressure around tight project deadlines, budgets, and storm restoration metrics. Utilities and customers want the lights back on fast. Leadership may not explicitly say, "Cut corners," but the expectations are there.

 

The key is recognizing that risk-versus-reward tradeoff. The probability of something going wrong might feel small, but the consequence can be catastrophic. Most good employers I have worked with actually say, "Slow down, take your time. If you need something, call me." It is often the culture among workers and the implied pressure, not a foreman barking, that pushes people to cross the line.
Title

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important 

communication and situational awareness are.
Title
Title

People totally misunderstand the brains and dedication this trade takes.
Title
Title

Everyone’s role is equally important, and real 

success is when the whole crew works together, 

communicates, and does the job safely and well.

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

Title
Title

I’m alive and thankful. It just goes to show how important communication and situational awareness are.

Everyone’s role is equally important, and real success is when the whole crew works together, communicates, and does the job safely and well.

Title

What’s one safety rule or mindset you refuse to compromise on, no matter the situation or pressure?

There are many things I will not compromise on, such as PPE, zones of protection, and understanding and controlling hazards, but one that really hits home is around trees.

 

Because I came up as a tree trimmer, I have a deep respect for how dangerous it is to cut and clear trees, especially when they are on lines with stored energy and complex tensions.

 

I will not support a line crew trying to tackle tree work they are not trained or equipped to handle.b

 

In line work, we are used to knowing the weight of a pole or transformer and the tension on conductors. Trees are different. They are irregular, full of unknowns, and can behave unpredictably.

 

I have seen and heard of too many serious injuries and fatalities from people trying to "just get that tree out of the way" instead of calling a professional tree crew. That is a line I will not cross.

How has safety in high voltage work changed over the course of your career and where do you think it still needs work?

When I started, most of the system felt very mechanical: visible breaks, fuses, mechanical relays, hardware you could see and touch.

 

Today, the system is far more digital and automated. We have electronically controlled devices, remote-operated switches and breakers, distribution automation, power quality equipment, battery storage, and a lot more complexity on the grid.

 

You cannot always see a visible open, and you need a deeper understanding of how these devices behave, sometimes from far away on the system.

 

We are also seeing higher voltages, more 765 kV transmission, more DC with renewables and converter stations, all of which change the risk landscape.

 

Where we still need work is in making sure construction and field workers understand the full circuit they are working on—not just what is in front of them, but what is upstream and downstream, and how modern protection and control schemes can affect their safety. Technology has made the grid smarter, but it also demands a smarter, more informed approach to safety in the field.

We’re High Voltage Industries

High Voltage Industries started because the most dangerous and essential work in America is also the most invisible. You put your lives on the line every single day and people don't even know what you do. 

 

We're here to share your stories and honor the sacrifices you make so people can flip a switch every day. And we make gear for those who literally risk their lives to keep the world running.

This is your story

Working in conditions others won't face, taking risks others can’t even imagine, solving problems others can't understand, carrying responsibility others can't handle. The grid doesn't maintain itself.

 

We're telling that story.

Best for the crew

we’re opening the floor to the folks who do the work

⚡ Features of real workers in the trade 
⚡ Craft features 

⚡ Tips for the trade

Just real experiences, real lessons learned, and real advice from people who do this work every day.

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