Safety and technology mentoring has always been close to Mark Franks' heart. Having been involved in training and development for many years at a large electric utility, Franks realized the value of the safety and technical mentoring provided by senior workers.

At AVO Training Institute, Franks has pursued his passion of safety and training, ardently providing safety consulting and technical training to countless workers worldwide. His interest as a trainer preceded the beginning of the current safety and technical training revolution. Starting out as an electrician and later a lineman in the late 1960s, he had firsthand exposure to some of the issues that plagued the electrical workers of the time.

Franks joined AVO Training Institute 18 years ago and has become involved in the crusade of educating electrical workers in safety and technologies necessary for today.

He has an extensive knowledge of the OSHA regulations, industry consensus standards and requirements for electrical safe work program development. Franks is one of the senior safety specialists authorized to conduct electrical safety compliance assessments for AVO.

In addition to electrical safety, Franks also teaches fiber optic splicing and testing, medium-voltage cable splicing, testing and fault location.

Next up for Franks is Medium Voltage Cable Splicing and Terminating on March 1-4 in Dallas, Texas. Splices and terminations, which are always a vital part of any cable system, become more susceptible to failure at higher voltages. Whether splicing or terminating is accomplished by the use of hand-applied tapes, a filled or molded device, heat-shrinkable tubing, or a prefabricated device, care should be exercised during the application. Poor workmanship or improper choice of materials could jeopardize the reliability of the entire system.

“With the 'baby boomers' retiring from the workforce, the transfer of skills and safe work practices becomes more important," Franks said. “It is very rewarding for me to be a part of AVO Training Institute and to know that I am making a difference in the safety and training of our electrical workers.”

Franks' other passions are his three grandchildren, hunting, fishing, and woodwork.