“Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it.”
I heard this quote recently, and although its author is unknown, I thought it was a fitting statement for the way we work at CHELCO. Although I don’t think that working safely “gets old” to our team, it certainly does keep them safe and, in turn, living to see more and more days.
As of Oct. 3, we have just celebrated a major milestone: 1,000 days without a lost-time injury.
At CHELCO, safety is a core value... I’d even say it’s the core value. Our employees, whether working in the field or in the office, understand its importance and put safety first in all that they do. The result? For 1,000 consecutive days, our employees have worked safely without requiring any team member to miss time due to injury.
This achievement is even more meaningful when we consider our safety timeline. From August 2019 to January 2022, CHELCO set a record of 885 days without a lost-time injury. It was certainly a high bar, but by continuing to focus on safety, we’ve now surpassed that record by a significant margin.
At CHELCO, we have historical records of lost-time injuries dating back to 2002. Over the past 20-plus years, we have had several streaks of 500 or more days without a lost-time injury. However, our team doesn’t see this new mark as a finish line. Instead, we view it as a reminder that we’re doing things the right way.
Reaching this milestone also puts us in an elite group when compared to other electric cooperatives. In recent safety metrics, CHELCO ranked in the top quartile of similarly sized cooperatives in every measured category.
Another exciting benchmark is on the horizon. Soon, barring any injuries in the near future, we will surpass 1 million employee hours worked without a lost-time injury. These numbers don’t just reflect data ¬ they are a testament to the culture of safety that we’ve built together, one that ensures everyone gets home safely to their families at the end of each day.
I’d like to celebrate our team for this tremendous accomplishment. Given that we are a rapidly-growing co-op in both members and employees, 1,000 days is truly worth recognizing. If you see some of our folks out and about in our community, I encourage you to congratulate them, because it truly is a tremendous achievement.
In celebration of the milestone, our Communications Department created a video showcasing our staff and the roles every department has played in getting us here. I invite you to watch it on our YouTube page or scan the QR code below. The video, narrated by members of our Safety Team, is a great archive of this achievement that we are proud to share with everyone.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you get to spend some extra time with those you love this holiday season!
