Department of Labor Recognizes Local Companies for Safety

Lenoir, North Carolina (June 10, 2010) – Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation and its heating fuels subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, were recognized for outstanding safety records in 2009 during North Carolina Department of Labor’s annual Western North Carolina Safety Awards Banquet held recently in Morganton.
Employee teams at the various offices throughout their service areas lead the safety program at Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Energies. Oversight and coordination for the Blue Ridge companies is provided by Ronnie Jewell, safety and training manager.

The companies received several gold awards for employees in various offices working the entire year without a lost time accident and no restricted work duty.

Blue Ridge Electric offices receiving gold awards were: Corporate Office, Lenoir, eleventh consecutive year; Caldwell district office; third year; Ashe district office, fourteenth year; and Alleghany district office, fourth year.
Blue Ridge Energies offices receiving gold awards were: Ashe office, fourth year; Catawba office, eighth year; Watauga office, second year; and Caldwell office, second year.

Blue Ridge Electric’s Watauga district office received a silver award for employees working the entire year without a lost time accident.

Blue Ridge Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative serving some 73,000 members in the northwest North Carolina counties of Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander. Its subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, serves homes and businesses with propane, home heating fuels and gas logs, fireplaces, and other hearth products from offices in Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, and Sparta.