Covington Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees Gary Harris Assistant Sec./Treas. District I - Dozier
Dr. Bill King District II - Andalusia
W.B. Smith Chairman District III - Brantley
C. Heflin Smith Vice Chairman District IV - Kinston
James F. Martin Jr. Sec./Treas. District V - Enterprise
Patricia Janasky District VI - Samson
Office Hours: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM Monday - Friday Headquarters: 18836 US Hwy 84 Andalusia, AL 36421 334-222-4121 1-800-239-4121 Fax: 334-222-1546 District Offices Brantley 334-527-3263 Enterprise 334-347-9449 Samson 334-898-2085 Report Power Outages 1-800-239-1193 www.covington.coop
4 JULY 2017
Plug into safety By Ed Short, CEC General Manager and CEO
This month, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the importance of safety. We all depend on electricity to power our lives, but accidents can happen when electricity is improperly used. Covington Electric Cooperative’s concern for safety extends beyond our employees. We care deeply about the safety of our members and we encourage you to plug into safety this summer. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, thousands of people in the U.S. are critically injured and electrocuted as a result of electrical fires, accidents and electrocution in their own homes. To promote safety education in our local communities, we conduct electrical safety demonstrations in local schools and events upon request. We frequently provide electrical safety content in Alabama Living magazine, and we encourage the public to contact us if they see a downed power line or any other type of dangerous electrical situation. We strive to provide our communities with safe, reliable and affordable electricity and to serve as your trusted energy advisor, now and well into the future. It is no accident that safety is a top priority at CEC. We are committed to a culture of safety that is integral to our daily operations. In fact, CEC is part of the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) that follows specific guidelines and protocols for electrical safety that are considered leading practices. Our lineworkers are required to wear personal protective equipment at all
times when on the job. This includes special arc-related clothing that limits potential injuries from burns and sparks. Insulated rubber gloves and sleeves are worn in tandem to protect from electrical shock. Our safety team regularly discusses important safety issues pertaining to work within the building as well as out in the field. As the general manager of CEC, I believe it is my duty and responsibility to raise awareness about the importance of electrical safety. Take a moment to plug into safety. Please visit www.covington. coop/safety or www.safeelectricity.org for tips about how to keep you and your loved ones safe.
CEC lineman Zach Johnson shows the protective gear required to help keep workers safe while working on power lines. www.alabamaliving.coop