The American Public Power Association (APPA) presented Safety Awards of Excellence to 15 ElectriCities of North Carolina member utilities for safe operating practices in 2024.
The annual award recognizes a utility’s comprehensive approach to safety, including its incident rate and the state of its safety program and culture. APPA awards utilities in three levels based on application score: Diamond (90 points or more), Platinum (80-89 points), and Gold (70-79 points).
Congratulations to these 2024 Safety Awards of Excellence recipients:
Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Diamond Level
- City of Shelby, N.C.
Group C (systems with 30,000 to 59,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Diamond Level
- Laurens Commission of Public Works (S.C.)
- Lexington Utilities (N.C.)
- Town of Front Royal (Va.)
- Wake Forest Power (N.C.)
Platinum Level
- New River Light & Power (N.C.)
Group D (systems with 60,000 to 109,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Diamond Level
- City of Concord, N.C.
- City of Gastonia, N.C.
- City of Rocky Mount, N.C.
- Statesville Public Power (N.C.)
Group E (systems with 110,000 to 249,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Diamond Level
- City of New Bern, N.C.
- City of Rock Hill, S.C.
- Wilson Energy (N.C.)
Group F (systems with 250,000 to 999,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Diamond Level
- Fayetteville Public Works Commission (N.C.)
- Greenville Utilities Commission (N.C.)
“Safety is the top priority for ElectriCities and for our members, and I commend these public power providers for their dedication and commitment to it,” said Craig Batchelor, ElectriCities Manager of Safety and Training. “It’s not only about wearing the right gear every day. It’s about building a culture of safety across the whole organization and working hard to maintain it.”
To determine award winners, APPA first categorized entrants according to their number of worker-hours. APPA scored each entrant based on lagging indicators—the occurrence and frequency of past events, leading indicators—proactive, preventative, and predictive measures, and the overall state of their safety programs and culture during 2024.
APPA revised the Safety Awards of Excellence program for 2024 based on feedback from its newly established Safety Committee, which includes Craig as a member. Program revisions aimed to:
- Ensure member input in the process of developing the safety awards application.
- Develop an awards application that accurately reflects the effectiveness of a utility’s safety program.
- Ensure that the awards application will allow smaller utilities with fewer resources to qualify for an award.
APPA members can find more information on the application and scoring in APPA’s Safety Awards of Excellence Application Guidebook for 2024.
“Harnessing electricity to keep our communities powered is vital work that can be dangerous, even deadly, if the proper attention isn’t paid to tried-and-true safety practices,” said Jon Beasley, Chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and Vice President of Electric Cities of Georgia. “This award honors utilities that hold fast to these practices and—in doing so—put the safety of their personnel and their customers above all else.”
See the national list of 2024 Safety Awards of Excellence honorees at www.PublicPower.org.
Visit the Awards and Accolades page on the ElectriCities website for a list of awards ElectriCities member utilities have won over the past few years.