EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC CO FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julie Maus
Manager of Media Relations
(417) 625-5101 jmaus@empiredistrict.com
JOPLIN, MO - August 20, 2014 - Employees of The Empire District Electric Company have a proud history of safety accomplishments and recently they set a new record. For the first time in the Company's history, employees achieved 2,000,000 hours worked without a lost-time injury. In recognition of the milestone, Empire's team safety leaders (pictured) were presented with the Regional Safety Award by the Safety Council of the Ozarks on Tuesday, August 19, 2014.
The injury-free period dates back to April 1, 2013. Previously, the highest milestone had been 1,500,000 hours, which has been reached only twice in the Company's 105-year history. Those achievements
came in 2004 and earlier this year.
THE EMPIRE DIS T RICT ELECTRI C C O MPANY 6 02 JO PLIN AVE NUE JO PLIN, MISSOU R I 6 4 8 0 2 4 17- 62 5- 51 00 F AX: 417 -6 25- 51 69 ww w . e m pi redi stri c t.c o m
Historic Safety Milestone/Page 2
According to Pete Babb, assistant director of Human Resources, "In our business, fostering a culture of safety is important not only to protect our employees, but also our customers and our communities. To ensure safe, reliable energy for our customers, we have employees working in a wide variety of environments; every job, from lineman to plant operator to accountant, requires a focus on safety to achieve this historic milestone."
Debora Biggs, executive director of the Safety Council of the Ozarks noted, "Reaching 2,000,000 hours without a lost-time injury is a tremendous accomplishment. The Safety Council of the Ozarks has followed Empire on their journey to this goal and it's obvious they are a company where everyone is dedicated to keeping themselves and each other safe. Reaching 2,000,000 hours takes dedication and commitment which everyone at Empire exemplifies."
Based in Joplin, Missouri, The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE: EDE) is an investor-owned, regulated utility providing electricity, natural gas (through its wholly owned subsidiary The Empire District Gas Company), and water service, with approximately 217,000 customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. A subsidiary of the Company also provides fiber optic services. For more information regarding Empire, visit www.empiredistrict.com.
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THE EMPIRE DIS T RICT ELECTRI C C O MPANY 6 02 JO PLIN AVE NUE JO PLIN, MISSOU R I 6 4 8 0 2 4 17- 62 5- 51 00 F AX: 417 -6 25- 51 69 ww w . e m pi redi stri c t.c o m
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