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AHOSKIE – The N.C. Department of Labor recognized area employers and employees at the agency’s annual safety awards banquet held Tuesday, May 3 at the Ahoskie Inn.

“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. “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 2021. Recipients recognized are located in Ahoskie and surrounding counties.

Commissioner Dobson provided keynote remarks at the meeting. The event is hosted by the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce.

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

Recipients include:

Silver Awards

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

First Year

Hertford County, Department of Social Services

Hertford County, Detention Center

Hertford County, Office of Aging, Elections and Veteran Services

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, Electric Department

City of Elizabeth City, Police Department

City of Elizabeth City, Sanitation

City of Elizabeth City, Public Works Department

City of Elizabeth City, Streets Department

Duck Thru Stores, Jernigan Oil and Propane

Jernigan Oil and Propane

Lexicon Inc.

Metal Technologies of Murfreesboro

Systems Plant Services Inc., Cofield

Town of Ahoskie, Building and Grounds

Town of Ahoskie, Public Works

Town of Ahoskie, Street Department

Town of Ahoskie, Water and Sewer

Vulcan Construction Material, Mideast Division – Kitty Hawk Sales Yard

Second Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Central Receiving Warehouse

City of Elizabeth City, Water Treatment

Town of Hertford, Police Department

Town of Hertford, Public Works Department

WAFF Contracting Inc.

Third Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Finance Department

City of Elizabeth City, Wastewater Treatment Plant

Coca-Cola Consolidated, New Bern Branch 513

Gregory Poole Equipment Co., Wanchese – Marine Branch

Hertford County, Solid Waste, Rural Collection, Water and Public

Fourth Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Central Maintenance/Fleet

City of Elizabeth City, Inspections

Fifth Consecutive Year

Perdue Foods LLC, Lewiston Processing Plant

 Sixth Consecutive Year

Hertford County, Central Communications, E-911

Seventh Consecutive Year

Hertford County, Administration

Hertford County, Tax Assessor/Collector

Eighth Consecutive Year

Mackey’s Ferry Sawmill

Town of Ahoskie, Public Administration

Ninth Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Customer Service

City of Elizabeth City, Personnel

Town of Hertford, Administration

10th Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Public Works Department

Town of Ahoskie, Human Resources

12th Consecutive Year

Berry Global Inc., Ahoskie Plant

City of Elizabeth City, Administrative

13th Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Energy Division

Town of Ahoskie, Executive Office/Administration

Town of Ahoskie, Finance Department

Town of Ahoskie, Fire Protection

Town of Ahoskie, Planning Department

Town of Ahoskie, Wastewater Treatment Plant

17th Consecutive Year

City of Elizabeth City, Planning

19th Consecutive Year

Piedmont Natural Gas, Elizabeth City Resource Center

20th Consecutive Year

Nucor Steel

22nd Consecutive Year

J.W. Jones Lumber Co.

Million Hour Awards

(1 Million Hours, Or Multiples Thereof, With No Lost Time Accidents)

Perdue Foods LLC

Lewiston Processing Plant

2 Million Hours

From Feb. 23, 2021, through Dec. 26, 2021

More information on the N.C. Department of Labor’s Safety Awards Program is available by calling 919-707-7855 or emailing Meredith Watson at meredith.watson@labor.nc.gov.