Santee Electric Cooperative, Inc. recently won first place in the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina Statewide 2012 Presidents Safety Contest. While Manager of Operations, Jason Springs said he could not point to any one change SEC has made to obtain the award after coming so close to getting it in the past, he said the implementation of safety committees last year has helped 'change our safety culture.'

SEC won first place with the fewest lost time injuries in the category of cooperatives in South Carolina with more than 100 employees, Director of Safety and Training, Hank Williamson explained. He said SEC's safety has steadily improved over the past 3 years.

'It is possible not to have any accidents. If you follow our safety procedures,' Springs said. He went on to explain that safety affects how much the co-op pays for workman's compensation insurance.

Project Manager of Safety and Training, Greg Tisdale reassigned safety committees. He said the crews serving on each committee will change every year because the more employees go over safety, the more involved everyone gets causing everyone to be more accountable.

'You never know when an accident is going to happen,' he added.