AREA’s risk management department provides safety and regulatory training and guidance to the 22 member-cooperatives in the state. In 2012, it made more than 200 visits to cooperatives, training 10,059 employees in various safety and regulatory topics including driver safety, blood-borne pathogens, CPR, first aid, AEDs, forklift certification and re-certification, fire safety, construction practices, hazard recognition, boom operations, hydraulic safety, grounding, driver safety, digger derricks, transformer banking, firefighter electric safety, defensive driving, rigging, pole top rescue, bucket truck rescue, job briefings, hazardous communication, heat stress, noise level testing, hearing protection, holiday safety, federal motor carrier safety, right of way safety and safety attitudes.

In addition to safety training provided at individual cooperatives, the Risk Management group also provides training at AREA headquarters for various cooperative employees. Training programs are selected and designated to meet the most current and detailed needs of AREA’s members, and the staff works closely with the member cooperatives to make sure these needs are continually being met.