Matt Eisenmenger, AIEC safety instructor, and Steve Shaffer, Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, conducted two 2-day training sessions for cooperative employees at Menard Electric Cooperative. Instruction was presented on the many elements of carrying out a proper accident investigation.
The Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP) requires accident investigation training to be completed once every three years by each cooperative’s accident investigation team members or individual investigator.
Participants included cooperative supervisors, linemen, communications coordinators and trouble crew responders. Mock investigations were conducted, and training included information on what accidents need investigation, confidentiality protocol, different types of investigations and how to gather and document evidence.
During the field scenarios, attendees gathered information, interviewed witnesses and collaborated on their findings in order to be well-prepared if an accident were to occur.