Electric cooperatives recognized for 2024 safety achievements

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) is proud to recognize one individual and 11 North Dakota electric cooperatives for safety achievements in 2024.

“North Dakota’s electric cooperatives are deeply committed to protecting their crews, members and the communities they serve. Powering the lives of 250,000 North Dakotans comes with inherent risks. Even a minor misstep can lead to a severe injury or fatality. Through rigorous training and safety compliance, this year's award recipients have demonstrated a culture of safety and mitigated these risks. We are proud to celebrate their outstanding safety achievements,” says NDAREC Executive Vice President and General Manager Josh Kramer.

On Jan. 9, NDAREC held an awards ceremony and presented the following awards:

• The Stepping Up for Safety Award recognizes outstanding safety advocates who, through their actions, inspire peers to commit to safe job performance and have greatly influenced their cooperatives’ safety culture. 
  • Bill Sadowsky, North Central Electric Cooperative

• The Decade of Safety Excellence Award recognizes outstanding performance in safety, resulting in zero lost-time accidents for 10 consecutive years.  
  • McLean Electric Cooperative

• The Safety Excellence Award recognizes outstanding performance in safety. To achieve this award, a cooperative must not have had a lost-time accident for five consecutive years.
  • Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative

• The Certificate of Safety Achievement recognizes successful participants of the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP), a national safety program that encourages electric cooperatives to achieve and maintain high safety standards for the protection of employees and the community. The following cooperatives earned this certificate for 2024:
  • Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative
  • Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative
  • Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative
  • Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative
  • Minnkota Power Cooperative
  • Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative
  • Northern Plains Electric Cooperative

• The Safety Performance Award is presented to cooperatives with zero recordable injuries for one year. Cooperatives and contractors that achieved this safety initiative between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, are:
  • Capital Electric Cooperative
  • Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative
  • Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative
  • McLean Electric Cooperative
  • Roughrider Electric Cooperative
  • Slope Electric Cooperative
  • 3C Construction

Through its safety awards and recognition program, NDAREC has recognized outstanding safety performance for more than 60 years.

NDAREC is the statewide trade association for 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota. These distribution cooperatives provide electricity to more than 250,000 North Dakotans. NDAREC services include legislative advocacy, lineworker safety training, professional development and cooperative business development. The association also provides its members with a variety of communication services, including publication of the North Dakota Living magazine.