You may not think much about flipping on the light switch in your home or turning on the TV, but a lot of work goes into keeping your power on. A small team of people work tirelessly to ensure you get the reliable power you depend on, at an affordable price. For some employees it means fighting regulations that threaten to raise the price of electricity, for others it means putting their life on the line.
San Patricio Electric Cooperative’s line and service crews are especially susceptible to dangerous situations. These men work with live electricity on a daily basis as they respond to power outages and update SPEC’s electricity infrastructure. They operate heavy machinery, encounter pole fires and handle down power lines. These are the people called out of the warmth of their homes during hazardous weather.
Although their jobs may be dangerous, SPEC employees never flinch. They take pride in their jobs, knowing the importance of a reliable electricity infrastructure and the role they play in their communities.
Despite challenging work conditions, SPEC makes every effort possible to ensure its employees make it home to their families safely each night. This effort is emphasized by the cooperative’s latest milestone. On September 12, 2014 SPEC employees reached 2,501 days (about 6.8 years) without a lost-time accident, topping its previous record.
Lost-time accidents are defined as work related accidents or injuries that require employees to take time off from work. This is the longest the cooperative has gone without an accident in its 76 year history, at least so far. Employees are still watching the number of accident-free days grow as they practice safety and caution.
The safety of SPEC’s employees also benefits our member-owners. Being accident-free helps keep co-op operations expenses down so electricity prices stay low. Workplace accidents impact insurance and workers compensation rates. Accidents can also negatively affect productivity and create a staffing challenge -- issues that could create more operational expenses for cooperatives and a bigger burden for our members.
A special thanks goes out to all SPEC employees for their dedication to safety. Without these hardworking individuals, we would not have reached this exceptional accomplishment.