Safety is the focus of the CREA Loss Control Department. Beginning with communications, training programs, reports, regulatory alerts, compliance notifications and visits, all are designed to promote a healthy, safe working environment for the Rural Electric Cooperatives.
The Loss Control Department works with 22 Colorado REC’s helping keep them current on safety and regulatory compliance requirements on local, state and federal levels. Cultivating positive relationships with these agencies is of the utmost importance.
The department works with and assists the REC’s in controlling workers compensation costs, assists with investigating and analyzing incidents for root cause(s), and provides training materials geared toward preventing the re-occurrence of accidents.
One major responsibility of the Loss Control Department is the facilitation of the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) to the REC’s. The RESAP has been strengthened and enhanced with the approach in the direction that has the REC’s taking ownership of their individual safety programs. The fundamental guiding principles include a formal statement of leadership commitment, and embracing safety as a core value with cooperative leaders and employees taking ownership of the safety plan, its system and processes that create a safe working environment.
Another component of the new RESAP is the requirement for REC’s participants to create and implement a Safety Improvement Plan (SIP). The development and the continual assessment of the REC’s individual safety plans requires more involvement and support of the Loss Control Department staff than previous versions of RESAP. As the Area Administrator for Colorado REC’s, the Director of Loss Control is assigned the duty and responsibilities to assist with the creation of and the annual performance assessment of each SIP.
This effort is facilitated by the Director and a staff of six that includes the Risk Management Coordinator & Assistant, Regulatory Safety & Compliance Coordinators and a Job Training and Safety Instructor.
For more information, call 303-455-2700 or email crea.info@coloradorea.org.