Safety Accreditation Achieved
Richland Electric Cooperative (REC) recently received safety accreditation after an intensive review by the Rural Electric Safety Accreditation Program (RESAP), sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
"Becoming an accredited system has been one of our goals for several years and to finally achieve that goal is tremendous. In order to accomplish this it takes everybody working as a team. The board of directors has to strongly support a rigorous safety program and employees have to make safety their number one priority. The accreditation program recognizes those efforts and we appreciate that, but it isn't about a plaque on the wall- it's about keeping everyone safe in an industry that presents a lot of hazards," said Shannon Clark, CEO & General Manager of REC.
RESAP is an organized analysis of a cooperative's safety and loss control program that measures its overall effectiveness. The purpose of the RESAP is to inform and promote safety and loss control, preserve lives, prevent injury and help reduce the escalating costs associated with preventable injuries and/or death. RESAP standards exceed the minimum compliance standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Department of Transportation.
"To achieve safety accreditation after all the time and effort everyone at Richland Electric Cooperative has put in during the process is a great reward, but a greater reward will be if it helps to prevent just one serious accident," said Larry Hallett, Operations Manager at REC.
The accreditation process, which is based on a three-year review period, has three parts. REC had to compile and submit an application, representing a collaborative record of its safety policies and procedures. Then, a statewide organization conducted an on-site field observation to evaluate the physical aspects of the cooperative. Last, the RESAP Committee reviewed and graded the applications.
Doug Lewis, Safety Coordinator from DPC, said, "To pass the criteria for the Rural Electric Safety Accreditation Program is quite an accomplishment. This certification is not given…it's earned. It takes a firm commitment from the Board of Directors, Management and staff. It also takes a total team effort and that's exactly what the employees of Richland Electric Cooperative put forth. My most sincere congratulations go out to the entire Richland Electric Cooperative organization."