Electricity can be dangerous—even deadly—but when following proper safety standards, the wellbeing of our members and employees should never be in question. Our Job Training, Safety & Loss Control Department works hard to stay on top of the changing operations training and safety landscape of the electric cooperative industry, because the safety of our members is critically important to us.

At Indiana Electric Cooperatives, we encourage our member cooperatives to passionately pursue a culture of safety, and it starts with thoroughly educating employees about electric systems. We focus on all aspects of electrical safety, including preventive training, life-saving training, inspection protocol, environmental awareness, equipment training, testing protocol and more.

Part of our commitment to safety includes offering a lineman apprentice program for Indiana’s electric cooperative members. The Rural Electric Apprenticeship Program (REAP) provides standardized training and gives enrollees the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree and a journeyman’s certificate over a four-year period. For more information about REAP, click here.

If any of our member cooperatives experience a weather-related disaster and they’ve exhausted their manpower and resources, we offer support in the form of mutual aid. We do this by utilizing resources from other cooperatives throughout the state—and even in other states when necessary—to help these co-ops get back to operating safely and efficiently. To learn more about mutual aid, click here.

Our Job Training, Safety & Loss Control instructors have nearly 200 years of combined experience in the energy industry, and each instructor carries the appropriate certifications to ensure preparedness for any safety situation that may arise. Our staff conducts safety meetings at each participating cooperative on relevant topics, and is available to customize safety programs to meet any specific need our members or employees may have. We also offer training and support to non-cooperative organizations. If your organization is interested in safety training, please contact Connie Sparks at csparks@indianaec.org for more information.