National Awards Celebration: NSC recognizes leaders for their outstanding contributions to safety

As part of its National Awards Celebration, the National Safety Council on Monday evening honored organizations and individuals who have played a significant role in helping to make U.S. communities, workplaces and roads safer.

The event took place in conjunction with the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the nation’s largest gathering of safety and health professionals.

Among those recognized:

Joseph M. Kaplan Safe Drivers of the Year – professional drivers nominated for their total driving record, including miles and years driven without a preventable crash. This year’s recipients: Barry Marr (United Parcel Service), Bea Le (U.S. Postal Service), John R. Barto (U.S. Postal Service), Kenny Gregory (UPS), Paul Piper (National DCP), Rusty Holloway (UPS), Samuel Stevens (UPS), Valerie Quill (Kitsap Transit) and William Lazarski (UPS).

Workplace Safety Awards – honors collective safety achievements and the implementation of effective safety policies and procedures. The year’s recipients: Environmental Resources Management, Golden State Foods, Jones Lang LaSalle (Bank of America and Pfizer accounts), Lee Mechanical Contractors Inc., Performance Contracting Group, Port Arthur LNG and USD Group LLC.

Corporate Culture of Safety Award – recognizes organizations that have received more than 50 awards through the NSC awards program this year. The recipients: Amentum, CDM Smith Inc., La-Z-Boy, Nexteer Automotive and Schneider Electric.

Rising Stars of Safety – recognizes tomorrow’s leaders younger than 40 for their commitment to safety, influence on safety culture and creation of safety initiatives that produce measurable outcomes.

Scholarship winners – supports and propels young leaders of diverse backgrounds into careers in safety and health, and empowers recipients to change behavior in the workplace through educational and career advancement. The recipients:

• Women in Safety Scholarship: Bridget Mya Womack, Callie Ruppen, Olivia Anne Metzger and Royce L. Bird
• Billy D. Young Memorial Scholarship: Sophia Naugle
• Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship: Karena O’Bryan
• NSC Congress & Expo Scholarship: David Sawyer and Ivan Nail Ulloa

The council also announced the inaugural recipients of its Diversity in Safety Scholarship, which supports students from diverse backgrounds who are pursuing safety as a career with a $5,000 tuition award, renewable up to four years. They are Ashley Craddock (University of Central Missouri), Leila Ruggs (North Carolina A&T State University), Garrett Washington (American University) and Emmanuel Winful (Auburn University).

“Diversity in the EHS profession makes everyone safer,” NSC President and CEO Lorraine M. Martin said. “The National Safety Council envisions building a workforce of environment and occupational, safety and health professionals that is inclusive of all people it represents.”