The Energy Coalition for Contractor Safety (ECCS) is a group of North Dakota energy companies working together to achieve workplace safety excellence through standardized workplace safety practices, training, and drug screening of energy industry contractor employees.  Members of the Coalition are: The Dakota Gasification Plant; Great River Energy - Coal Creek Station and Stanton Station; Montana Dakota Utilities - Heskett Station; Otter Tail Power Company - Coyote Station; Basin Electric Power Cooperative - Antelope Valley Station and Leland Olds Station; Minnkota Power Cooperative; and, the Tesoro Refinery Mandan.      

All contractors covered by the requirements of this coalition receive notification in their individual bid, supply, and/or contract documents.  Should a contractor's employees be subject to the Coalition's requirements, each and every employee must have an annual,  pre-employment, five-panel DOT drug screening completed prior to the employment date on an ECCS site.  Further, each employee must have completed the 10-hour OSHA Construction Safety Class within the previous three years.   Employees not meeting these requirements will not be allowed on the sites.     

Contractor companies wishing to compete for work at any of these sites must also submit a copy of their comprehensive written safety plan to North Dakota Safety Council, Inc., (NDSC)  ATTN: ECCS 1640 Burnt Boat Dr., Bismarck, ND 58503; for review and evaluation.  The ECCS will pay for the first review, but all subsequent submissions to meet NDSC' requirements will be at contractor expense as will be any and all changes suggested by NDSC.     

Further, after January 1, 2000, all contractors wishing to compete for work at any of the Coalition sites will need to have an OSHA rate of less than 3.00, and an EMR of less than 1.00.  Contractors unable to meet these standards will not be considered for contracts being let without specific, temporary, approval granted by the individual plant manager.      

Employers can gain ECCS approval of their employees by submitting proof the specific employees have completed the 10-hour OSHA Construction class within three years. Further, employers must also submit proof of a negative drug screening

result using a five panel DOT drug test completed within the last year, to the North Dakota Safety Council (NDSC).  Such proof must include the employee's social security number along with a statement certifying the information is correct and accurate and be signed by a responsible company official.  Any such proof submittals and certifications will be subject to annual audit by the NDSC.  Contractors submitting names for inclusion in the ECCS database will be billed, by the North Dakota Safety Council, $5 for each employee name and for each subsequent change.     

And the North Dakota Safety Council will be conducting the 10-hour OSHA construction safety class at least once each month in Bismarck for anyone needing the training.  Drug screenings will also be conducted in conjunction with the training activities.  Should a company have a need for large group training, the NDSC has trainers on their staff available to conduct the necessary training to meet the contractors' needs.  E-mail or call for prices.