Labor Department presents annual Safety Awards

AHOSKIE – The N.C. Department of Labor recognized area employers and employees at the agency’s annual safety awards banquet held on Thursday, May 9 in Ahoskie at Roanoke-Chowan Community College.

The event was hosted by the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce.

“North Carolina’s employers and employees show us the true importance of a strong commitment to safety and health each and every day,” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said. “As this is my final year as Labor Commissioner and my last safety awards season, I want to reflect on the great opportunity it has been to meet and recognize the many people across our state that work so hard for these awards and most importantly continue to work to keep their workplaces safety and healthy. North Carolina’s injury and illness rate remains at an historic low. These businesses’ dedication to safety is the reason why North Carolina is one of the safest states in which to work and they deserve this distinguished recognition.”

The awards honor outstanding on-the-job safety achievements of each recipient during 2023. Recipients recognized are located in Ahoskie and surrounding counties.

Under program rules, companies must have been free of fatal accidents at the site for which the award is given to be eligible. The gold award criteria are based on a DART rate that is at least 50% below the statewide rate for its industry. The rate includes cases of days away from work, restricted activity or job transfer. The silver award is based only on cases with days away from work. They are recorded when the worker misses at least one full day of work, not including the day of the injury. The applicant must attain an incidence rate for cases with days away from work that is at least 50% below the rate for its industry.

The local recipients have met the stringent requirements necessary to receive a safety award. Recipients include:

Silver Awards

Criteria: Rate of days from work must be at least 50% below the industry average.

Second Consecutive Year

T.A. Loving, Utilities/Bridge Division

Third Consecutive Year

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC, Public Utilities Department

Gold Awards

Criteria: Rate of days away from work, job transfer or restriction must be at least 50% below the industry average.

First Year

City of Elizabeth City, Planning/Community Development

City of Elizabeth City, Water Treatment Plant/Wastewater Treatment Plant

Fred Smith Co., Ahoskie

Hertford County, Emergency Services/Emergency Management

Hertford County, Sheriff’s Department

Hertford County, Solid Waste/Public Works/Public Buildings

Second Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Parks and Recreation Department

Hertford County, Department of Social Services

Hertford County, Detention Center

Hertford County, Office of Aging/Elections/Veteran Services

Metal Technologies of Murfreesboro Inc., Nucor Operations

Perdue Foods LLC, Halifax Hatchery No. 9

Roanoke Cooperative

Town of Ahoskie, Sanitation Department

Town of Ahoskie, Town Clerk

Third Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Electric/Load Management

Systems Plant Services Inc., Hertford County Jobsite

Town of Ahoskie, Building and Grounds

Town of Ahoskie, Public Works

Town of Ahoskie, Water and Sewer Department

Perdue Foods LLC, Eagle Springs Hatchery

Fifth Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Finance/IT/Data Processing

City of Elizabeth City, Purchasing

Gregory Poole Equipment Co., Wanchese Marine

T.A. Loving, Equipment Shop

Eighth Consecutive Year

Hertford County, Central Communications (E-911)

Ninth Consecutive Year

Hertford County, Administration

Hertford County, Tax Assessor/Collector

10th Consecutive Year

T.A. Loving, Building Division

Town of Ahoskie, Public Administration

11th Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Human Resources

12th Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Public Works – GIS Fleet Department

Town of Ahoskie, Human Resources Director

14th Consecutive Year

Berry Global Inc., Ahoskie Plant

City of Elizabeth City, Administration

15th Consecutive Year

Town of Ahoskie, Finance

Town of Ahoskie, Fire Protection

Town of Ahoskie, Planning and Zoning Administration

Town of Ahoskie, Wastewater Treatment Plant

21st Consecutive Year

Piedmont Natural Gas, Elizabeth City Operations Center

22nd Consecutive Year

Nucor Steel, Hertford County

More information on the N.C. Department of Labor’s Safety Awards Program is available by calling 919-707-7855 or emailing Kiley Willard at kiley.willard@labor.nc.gov.

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