Clifton Smith Sr.: A Champion for Safety at PG&E

A Life-Changing Incident

June 14, 2003, is a date Clifton Smith Sr. will never forget. On that day, he worked as an electrical technician at the Helms Pumped Storage Plant, located east of Fresno. An hour into his shift, he ventured deep inside the underground facility to replace a failed breaker for one of the water pumps.

Clifton and his coworker, Rick Cheney, were in the process of placing a rubber blanket over an energized breaker when disaster struck. An exposed wire, along with other contributing factors, triggered a massive electrical explosion.

The blast propelled Clifton 15 feet backwards. He narrowly avoided serious injury when he hit a guard rail, which prevented him from falling 50 feet down to the concrete floor of the basement.

The explosion caused severe burns to over 40% of Clifton’s body. "From my belly button all the way up to the top part of my forehead,” he recounted. He added, “I retain heat from the middle of my chest to my right arm, all the way up to just past the elbow. I don’t sweat."

A Champion for Safety

Clifton didn't return to work for more than two years after his accident. His incident led to significant changes at PG&E. All employees at Helms, as well as those on gas transmission and distribution job sites, substations, and electric transmission locations, are now required to wear flame-resistant (FR) clothing.

Though Clifton doesn’t see himself as a pioneer, he certainly became a champion for the mandatory FR clothing policy. He believes that 90% of his injuries could have been prevented if he had been wearing appropriate FR clothing. To promote safety, he traveled to various PG&E locations to share his story and emphasized the importance of wearing protective gear.

“I have a bucket list of the things our department has done that made a big difference in what we do,” Clifton stated. "The FR clothing requirement was one of them."

He appreciates PG&E’s proactive approach to safety. "Over the last 10 years, we’ve tried to be more proactive than reactive," he explained. "Being reactive tells me you don’t really care about me. Being proactive tells me you genuinely care about my well-being."

A Passion for Teaching

Clifton was honored with the 33rd John A. Britton Gold Medal Award for rescuing a family from a burning home. He began his 40th year at PG&E last October. Over four decades, the native San Franciscan has worn many hats in Electric Operations. These include apprentice, journeyman electrician, subforeman, maintenance supervisor, construction supervisor, and maintenance and construction engineering supervisor.

Today, Clifton serves as a senior technical instructor at the electric training facility in Livermore. He teaches the basics to apprentice and journeyman electricians, alongside the Engineers in Training program. He also conducts refresher courses in substation operations.

“I’m giving my all to ensure they get to go back home to their families after a hard day’s work,” he said.

As a former journeyman electrician, Clifton feels a strong obligation to pass on his knowledge. He shares, “It’s a code of ethics. A journeyman has an obligation. You must train those below you. You must pass that knowledge along to improve your classification."

“I just enjoy teaching,” added Clifton. Before his career at PG&E, he aspired to be a teacher or a football coach.

Family and Football Legacy

Clifton’s own football career was cut short by a knee injury while at Fresno State. However, he has lived out his dreams through his family. His son, Clifton Jr., became the second undrafted rookie free agent to be named to the Pro Bowl. In 2008, while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he returned a kickoff 97 yards and a punt for 70 yards for touchdowns. Clifton Jr. also played for the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns.

Additionally, Clifton’s grandson, Brandon Smith, ran for 1,900 yards and scored 28 touchdowns, leading Fresno’s Central High School to the 2024 California Interscholastic Federation 1-A state championship game.

Looking Toward the Future

In terms of his future, Clifton wants to continue working "as long as I’m healthy. I love what I do.”

What legacy does he wish to leave? Clifton says he hopes to be known for his honesty. “I’m not afraid to tell you something,” he stated. “If you don’t want to know, don’t ask Cliff because he’s going to tell you the truth, whether it hurts or not.” He acknowledges that this trait has served him well throughout his career at PG&E.

Despite the challenges he faced in the past, Clifton maintains a positive outlook. “There was some divine intervention because I shouldn’t be here today,” he reflected. "I’d rather look at the blessing side of it than anything else.”