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Safety pays.
Just ask the West Kern Water District.
A good safety rating has earned the district an award that will be presented in October at the annual conference of the California Special Districts Association in Indian Wells.
There will undoubtedly be some sort of plaque or similar award.
That’s nice, but the real reward is the $24,000 reduction in the district’s general liability and workmen’s compensation.
“It’s an excellence in safety award based on low loss ratio,” said Dawn Cole, assistant general manager/director of human resources. “We have very few accidents.”
She gave credit to the district staff.
“Our hat’s off to all of our employees,” she said. “It’s a team effort.”
Cole singled out Sam Traffanstedt, “who oversees our safety training.”
Steve Steinhoffer, president of the district’s board of directors, echoed Cole’s sentiments.
“It’s so easy to forget about safety for one or two minutes and have something happen,” he said. “Good job Sam.”
It marked the second consecutive year the district has posted a safety rating that produced applause and earned the district a cash bonus.
“We also got $20,000 last year,” Cole said.
The board also heard plaudits about its field staff.
J.D. Bramlet, assistant general manager/operations, had kind words about the efforts of the people who toil in the field after the district had its biggest month ever in July in terms of what it does best – deliver water.
West Kern delivered an all-time record 2,617 acre-feet of water to its customers, both domestic and industrial.
By contrast, the district pumped and delivered 1,529 acre-feet a decade ago.
“It was the biggest month we’ve ever had at any time,” said General Manager Jerry Pearson.
Bramlet gave credit to the work of his staff.
“We have a record well field performance,” he said. “The guys have done an excellent job.”
That news is tempered by the report on the depth the district’s wells have to pump to get to the water.
The average depth for July was 240 feet.
Two years ago it was about 130 feet.
A prolonged statewide drought and drastic reduction in the amount of water that flows into the district well field keep the well field reaching deeper.
Safety pays.
Just ask the West Kern Water District.
A good safety rating has earned the district an award that will be presented in October at the annual conference of the California Special Districts Association in Indian Wells.
There will undoubtedly be some sort of plaque or similar award.
That’s nice, but the real reward is the $24,000 reduction in the district’s general liability and workmen’s compensation.
“It’s an excellence in safety award based on low loss ratio,” said Dawn Cole, assistant general manager/director of human resources. “We have very few accidents.”
She gave credit to the district staff.
“Our hat’s off to all of our employees,” she said. “It’s a team effort.”
Cole singled out Sam Traffanstedt, “who oversees our safety training.”
Steve Steinhoffer, president of the district’s board of directors, echoed Cole’s sentiments.
“It’s so easy to forget about safety for one or two minutes and have something happen,” he said. “Good job Sam.”
It marked the second consecutive year the district has posted a safety rating that produced applause and earned the district a cash bonus.
“We also got $20,000 last year,” Cole said.
The board also heard plaudits about its field staff.
J.D. Bramlet, assistant general manager/operations, had kind words about the efforts of the people who toil in the field after the district had its biggest month ever in July in terms of what it does best – deliver water.
West Kern delivered an all-time record 2,617 acre-feet of water to its customers, both domestic and industrial.
By contrast, the district pumped and delivered 1,529 acre-feet a decade ago.
“It was the biggest month we’ve ever had at any time,” said General Manager Jerry Pearson.
Bramlet gave credit to the work of his staff.
“We have a record well field performance,” he said. “The guys have done an excellent job.”
That news is tempered by the report on the depth the district’s wells have to pump to get to the water.
The average depth for July was 240 feet.
Two years ago it was about 130 feet.
A prolonged statewide drought and drastic reduction in the amount of water that flows into the district well field keep the well field reaching deeper.
