Co-op earns high safety marks
To achieve and maintain high safety standards for the |
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(L-R) Les Vietz, Randy Hauck, Sandy Leingang, Paul Davis and Larry Wittmayer check the |
protection of employees and the community, Capital Electric recently applied for and achieved safety accreditation through the RESAP program. The Rural Electric Safety Accreditation Program (RESAP) helps preserve life and prevent injuries; establishes electric safety and loss control standards; recognizes those people who work to maintain a safe work environment; and compliments the co-op’s mission of providing reliable electrical service.
Founded by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), RESAP is a peer-review safety and loss control evaluation of electric utilities. The peers who conducted the Capital Electric accreditation included Sandy Leingang and Paul Davis from the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) and Randy Hauck from Verendrye Electric Cooperative. They toured cooperative headquarters, the warehouse and other outdoor areas on May 23 with Les Vietz, Larry Wittmayer and Rick Dressler from Capital Electric. The six-person crew assessed every aspect of safety, ranging from substations to fire extinguishers.
Leingang, who serves as the safety coordinator for NDAREC, says there are three parts to the accreditation process:
*An application process, which is 30 percent of the co-op’s score;
*An onsite inspection, which is 50 percent; and
*A verification, which is 20 percent.
In order to become accredited, a system must have an average score of at least 70 percent. Leingang says Capital Electric scored a 95 percent, which she calls “exceptional.” The accreditation is now valid for three years.
The Capital Electric board of directors thanks the employees for their commitment to safety and commends them for earning such high safety marks!