A source who asked to remain anonymous in order to protect his employment says that Carroll Electric Cooperative Corp., the latest electric cooperative in the state, has been sporadic and ineffective protecting CECC employees from Covid-19, a charge the company strongly denies.
Carroll Electric is an essential service provider and has taken appropriate precautions for our employees and the members we served,” Cory Smith, director of corporate relations, wrote in an email.
“Toward the end of July, we did have five of our almost three hundred employees test positive for the virus,” Smith said. “Each employee who tested positive worked hand-in-hand with healthcare providers following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. During contact tracing, no close contacts with other employees were reported during these screenings. Any information to the contrary is without merit.”
Smith said it impossible to know if these five cases were the result exposures that occurred outside of work, or some other setting the cooperative does not have control over.
“The rate of infection within our employee population is in line with the overall rates, between one and two percent, in Arkansas and the counties where CECC is located,” Smith wrote. “The Cooperative continues to monitor industry practices, including CDC and other health care official guidelines, and continues to favor on the side of caution to limit contact between employees. In short, we take our obligation to protect our employees and the mission they fulfill for our members very seriously.”
Several people who work for CECC have been allowed to work remotely from home or in modified, isolated roles. However, Smith said most positions at the co-op still require an employee’s physical presence.
Carroll Electric’s preventive measures include those recommended by the CDC and the Arkansas Department of Health among other measures that focused specifically on providing a safe work environment.
“Concerning our office structure, several actions have been taken to ensure we maintain a safe work environment,” Smith said. “Lobbies remain closed to the public, each district location is exercising some level of zoning and/or working staggered shifts to minimize contact with other employees, and we are following guidelines recommended from public health officials including strict social distancing, exercising proper hygiene, and the utilization of masks.”
An email to employees July 16 said that an employee of the Bentonville office has tested positive for Covid-19.
“Please be assured the employee has been self-quarantined,” the email from Smith stated. “We have reviewed all CDC and ADH guidelines along with our work environment. All indications suggest no employees were in close contact with the employee, as defined by the CDC. Carroll Electric continues to exercise our best practices as outlined in our Covid-19 response plan and will take additional preventive measures in our efforts to protect the health and safety of all employees.
“In the meantime, please continue to observe good hygiene throughout the day, including washing or sanitizing your hands frequently, and remember to social distance,” Smith wrote. “This situation highlights the importance of maintaining proper social distance. Had these precautions not been taken, this could have easily caused a domino effect that would hinder our ability to serve our members. If you feel ill, please let your supervisor know as soon as possible. Please direct inquiries through your supervisor to Human Resources if you have any questions related to this matter.
“We would also encourage you to contact your healthcare provider if you have any particular health-related concerns for yourselves or family members. Please be reminded TelaDoc is available to employees and can provide further guidance.”
In an email to the Independent, Smith wrote that they have sent out close to 100 communications to all employees related to Covid-19 and the company’s response plans. “Each and every one of these messages solicits employees to pose questions and address their concerns about the preventive measures we have taken,” he stated.