Humboldt Co. REC earns safety milestone

On April 10, 1980, Humboldt County REC began day one of not having a lost time accident. Now, over one million employee work hours later, the electric cooperative celebrated with a recognition dinner Oct. 23, honoring present and past employees for their accomplishments. The streak has enduring during the tenure of three general managers, several board presidents and numerous employee safety directors. Through it all, one constant has been an emphasis on safety, REC present and past officials said at the celebration. REC General Manager Steve Long said the cooperative has built a culture of safety over the years. “The key elements are supervision, education and training, along with work rules and proper equipment,” the general manager said. “A lot of what we do today was started back in 1980. We’re still concerned about reliability, quality of service, commitment to the members and commitment to safety. “This cooperative has always had the attitude that safety is everyone’s business and everyone has taken on that responsibility,” Long said. For the full report on the award subscribe to the print or online editions of the Humboldt Independent.