San Patricio Electric Cooperative has reached another safety milestone. On November 7, the co-op celebrated 16 years without a lost-time accident.

The record is not a small accomplishment in a dangerous industry. Many of SPEC’s employees work with live electricity as they respond to power outages and maintain the cooperative’s 3,172 miles of energized power lines. 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.

Despite challenging work conditions, its SPEC’s goal that every employee makes it home to their family safely each night. Part of that effort is providing training and holding weekly safety meetings that outline safety standards and give employees a chance to discuss near misses, or potential dangers.

SPEC is committed to providing employees with the proper tools, personal protective gear, and time to do the job safely. This commitment has no doubt contributed to the safety record.

Lost-time accidents are defined as work related accidents or injuries that require employees to take time off from work. For more than 5,840 days—and more than 1 million hours—SPEC employees worked with safety in mind and are continuing to watch the number of accident-free days grow as they practice safety on the job every day.

The co-op’s next major safety goal is to reach 1.5 million man-hours worked without a lost-time accident. Lord willing, SPEC employees should reach that milestone within the next five years.

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.

“We thank our employees for their dedication to safety,” said Ron Hughes, SPEC general manager. “Without these hardworking individuals, we would not have reached this exceptional accomplishment. And with their continued dedication, we hope to continue watching our accident-free days grow.”