Santee Cooper Awarded First for Outstanding Safety Practices

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – Santee Cooper employees earned the utility first place in its group for the 2022 American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Safety Award of Excellence program, which honors safe operating practices in 2021.

“Safety is the cornerstone at Santee Cooper. Our most important responsibility every day is to make sure that the men and women who come here to work return home unharmed to their families and friends,” said Ken Lott, Santee Cooper’s Chief Financial and Administration Officer. “We’re proud that our employees are being recognized for their priority in maintaining a safe working environment, despite all the challenges and potential distractions they encounter.”

Entrants were placed in categories according to their number of worker-hours and ranked based on the most incident-free records during 2021. A utility’s incidence rate, used to judge entries, is based on its number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses and the number of worker-hours during 2021, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“In our industry, safety is the top priority,” said Bob Scudder, Chairman of APPA’s Safety Committee and Industrial Hygiene and Corporate Risk Manager at Grand River Dam Authority. “This is a commitment that needs to come from the top down and permeate every aspect of operations. These awarded utilities have embraced this priority, and they deserve to be celebrated.”

The Safety Awards have been held annually for more than 65 years. The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.

Santee Cooper has earned first or second place in the APPA Safety Award of Excellence 15 years a row now and 28 times total.