SW Iowa REC earns award

CORNING — In recognition of its commitment to providing a safe workplace, Southwest Iowa REC has earned Safety Achievement from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives administers the safety audit program.

“We’re proud to have earned this designation,” said Phil Kinser, CEO/General Manager of Southwest Iowa REC. “It shows that we have an organized plan to keep our workers and the public safe. ”

The safety inspection team quizzed workers on specific procedures, as well as the condition and use of items such as flame-retardant clothing, hard hats and hearing protection. More than 400 items related to the cooperative’s safety program were reviewed.

Southwest Iowa REC provides electricity to 4,250 consumers in Adair, Adams, Cass, Decatur, Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, Taylor and Union counties. 

The co-op is a member of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, which was formed in 1942 to represent the interests of and provide support to electric cooperatives in the state. As a whole, electric cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 650,000 Iowans in 210,000 homes, farms and businesses in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.