American Water Receives Governor’s Safety Awards

Every year, the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development presents the Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Awards to companies that achieve safety excellence for their safety performance for the previous year. While New Jersey American Water has received many of these over the years, for the 2013 awards, all 50 company departments that participated in the program will be receiving an award for their performance in 2012. Many of these departments will be receiving awards that represent several consecutive years of working without a lost time incident.

“The awards this year are a demonstration of the progress we have made in concentrating on ensuring that our employees work and go home safely every day,” said the company’s Director of Operational Risk Management Kevin J. McMahon, CIH. “Our employees’ safety efforts have been honored with governor’s awards in the past, but this year is very special.”

The Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Awards Program is based on the calendar year with Recognition and Group Awards presented to those with a yearly lost time incident rate of 3.0 or less. Citation of Merit, Division of Public Safety & Occupational Safety and Health, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and Governor's Awards are given to those without any work-related lost time from injury or illness over one year to four consecutive years, respectively. A Governor's Continued Excellence Award is awarded for five or more consecutive years. Since its inception in 1927, thousands of awards have been earned and the program has played an important role in promoting a safer and healthier workplace.