Staying Safe Amid Downed Lines
Published: May 14th, 2013 in: Co-op News, Editor's PickWhen a school bus went off a rural Kansas road and into a utility pole, the results could have been tragic. The accident was relatively minor, but happened next also could have had major safety consequences: The... Read more
Ohio Co-op CEO is Safety Honoree
Published: February 13th, 2013 in: Local InitiativesA top executive at an electric cooperative in Ohio is gaining national recognition for his dedication to safety. Michael L. Sims, the general manager and CEO of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, was recently honored by the National... Read more
Rethink Your Co-op Safety Committee
Published: November 7th, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—Do you have faith in your electric cooperative’s safety officer? If the answer is no, Tony Powell says you’re not alone.The reason, he adds, is that too often, the safety officer really isn’t the best person qualified for the job. Read more
What Co-ops Have in Common with Navy
Published: October 31st, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—When Capt. Mike Abrashoff took the helm of the USS Benfold, it was more like a city bus than a Navy guided missile destroyer. “We weren’t quite the worst, but we were probably third or fourth from the bottom in performance,” Abrashoff said. Read more
Build a Safety Culture at Your Co-op
Published: October 31st, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—“What’s the right goal for fatalities?” David Crouch asked co-op leaders. “Zero,” they answered. “Is zero possible?” Crouch then asked, before answering his own question. Read more
The Right Way to Compel Co-op Safety
Published: October 30th, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—Someone had to use the “D” word. It fell to Bud Branham. “When we go into our co-ops, it seems many times there is an overemphasis on the threat of discipline that creates a divisive issue between management and employees,” said Branham, NRECA director of safety programs. Read more
Be an Agent for Change at Your Co-op
Published: October 30th, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—Sean Vanslyke walked around the room carrying a bucket. “Sometimes this bucket is full of opportunities,” said the SEMO Electric Cooperative CEO. “But also this is a bucket of burdens sometimes. And over my career, I’ve had several burdens that I’ve had to deal with.” Read more
Keeping Co-op Cashiers Safe
Published: October 29th, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—Mention "safety" and "electric cooperative" in the same sentence and odds are you think about linemen. But safety concerns stretch farther. For example, what about the cashiers? Read more
Customize Your Co-op Safety Posters
Published: October 29th, 2012 in: Co-op NewsElectric cooperatives can customize their safety posters and other products with images of their own linemen under a program operated by Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange. Read more
English: Safety Must Start with CEO
Published: October 26th, 2012 in: Trends, Reports & AnalysesST. LOUIS—A commitment to safety at the nation’s electric cooperatives must start with the full support of each co-op’s CEO and board, NRECA CEO Glenn English told co-op leaders. Read more