Pete Nelson of West Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., has completed an intensive program in electric utility safety and loss control.
The Certified Loss Control Program is a series of workshops offered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in conjunction with the National Utility Training and Safety Education Association.
The program is designed to instruct participants in many areas related to electric utility industry safety.
According to OSHA, nearly 4 million injuries occur annually in the workplace. One of the goals of a certified loss control professional is to help ensure a safe work environment for utility workers and the public in general. Avoiding workplace accidents avoids down time and can ultimately lead to lower utility rates.
Nelson is one of only a few electric utility professionals in the country who will receive this certification this year. The program requires participants to complete a rigorous series of seminars and tests, a 30-hour OSHA course and a detailed final course project.
Loss control participants go through four week-long sessions that are designed to challenge and educate participants in new, innovative safety techniques. Participants must also maintain their certificate by attending courses every year in order to stay on top of changes in the industry.
Nelson is the engineering manager for West Central Electric Cooperative in Higginsville and is also the cooperative’s safety coordinator. The cooperative serves members in Johnson, Lafayette, eastern Jackson and portions of Cass and Pettis counties.
