Tri-State earns NM award for health, safety

Posted at: 09/23/2009 9:05 AM | Updated at: 09/23/2009 2:54 PM
By: The Associated Press

PREWITT, N.M. (AP) - The state Environment Department is recognizing a power plant in western New Mexico for its health and safety record.

State officials have given the Zia Star Award to Tri-State Generation and Transmission for its 245-megawatt Escalante Generating Station in Prewitt.

The Zia Star Voluntary Protection Program recognizes companies with exemplary health and safety management systems that maintain injury and illness rates below the national average for their industry.

The plant's manager, Don Russell, says working toward this distinction has been a long process, but it also has been an exciting challenge for him and the employees. The plant hired a consultant and it created a committee to develop ideas on how to implement health and safety practices.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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