Continuing with its tradition of excellence in safety, Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative received a higher than perfect score of 110 during its safety accreditation in October. Since 1967, the safety program at Carroll EMC has consistently received the highest marks in the electric utility industry and safety accreditation through the Rural Electric Safety Accreditation Program (RESAP).
The RESAP, sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), began in 1967 at Carroll EMC. The Electric Cooperative Safety Accreditation Program for Georgia (ECSAP), sponsored by Georgia EMC, began in 2010 with surprise inspection visits.
The main purpose of both of these programs is to preserve life and prevent injuries.
“It is a great accomplishment to have teamwork with all of the employees to recognize how important safety is,” said Chet Steele, Safety and Training Director of Carroll EMC. “Every day is a new day and our employees need to stay focused. Our employees have to take safety home with them because Carroll EMC and our members are our family.”
The RESAP and ECSAP process is conducted every three years and consists of two parts.
In the first part, a team of inspectors from Georgia EMC and other Georgia cooperatives conduct an on-site field observation of everything related to the co-op being judged, including buildings, equipment, and vehicles. For the second part of the inspection, the team of inspectors reviews the Co-op’s safety documents that support the requirements. The grading is split between these two parts to get a final score.
There are close to 450 accredited cooperatives across the United States. Carroll EMC was the first Co-op in the nation to be safety accredited in 1967 and has continued to maintain continuous accreditation.
Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 50,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk and Troup counties. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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