Vermont companies recognized for Workplace Safety

Six Vermont employers were recognized for their strong commitment to effective workplace safety at the Annual Vermont Workplace Safety Conference that was held today in South Burlington. The Governor’ s Award for Outstanding Workplace Safety is the highest honor given by the State of Vermont to recognize an employer’ s commitment to excellence in workplace safety and health. Established ten years ago, the awards are sponsored by Governor Shumlin, the Vermont Department of Labor, the Vermont Safety & Health Council, and the Vermont Small Business Development Center. The Workplace Safety Awards were presented by Governor Peter Shumlin, and Steve Monahan, Worker Comp and Safety Director at the Department of Labor.
Awards were presented to employers of ‘ large, medium and small’ size.
The recipients were: Bio Tek Instruments of Winooski (Large Business Category), Asten Johnson of Williston (Medium Business Category) and to Cardno ATC of Williston (Small Business Category). Awards were also given to Chittenden Solid Waste District of Williston for Municipality Category, to Nor-Dic- Farm of Panton for the Agriculture Category and Hayward Tyler of Colchester for Most Improved Category.
‘ Adopting a workplace safety system can be a key factor to the success of your business. Employers who have strong workplace safety programs reap benefits, including increased employee morale, lower costs in workers’ comp, increased productivity and less days lost to illness and injury, and the ability to attract and retain employees’ , said Governor Shumlin.
Department of Labor Worker Comp and Safety Director Monahan said ‘ Job safety is one of the most important workplace issues today. In 1970, approximately 38 workers died on the job each day in this country. In 2011, that number has been reduced ‘ to about 13 job related deaths each day. It is estimated that the costs of workplace illness and injury in the US totals $170 billion dollars annually. So, while we are making progress, we still have a long way to go. But it is encouraging to see Vermont businesses who are truly committed to protecting their workforce.’