National Safety Council Awards 2023 Green Cross for Safety Honors
This year’s awards program recognized Schneider, Walgreens and APTIM for outstanding contributions to workplace safety.
- By David Kopf
- Oct 25, 2023
The National Safety Council (NSC) unveiled the 24th annual Green Cross for Safety awards at this week’s NSC Safety Congress & Expo, running Oct. 23-25 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
The awards recognize three exemplary organizations for their efforts in advocating, excelling, and innovating workplace safety. Presented during the Green Cross Celebration at Mardi Gras World, the Green Cross for Safety awards honorees represented three categories of safety achievements:
Safety Advocacy — Schneider clinched the award for their pioneering efforts in combating drunk driving. They implemented the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) in their trucks, piloting a potentially groundbreaking alcohol detection technology. Data from the test phase not only validated the technology’s capabilities but also highlighted areas of refinement.
Safety Excellence — Walgreens was recognized for its proactive approach toward reducing workplace injuries. An internal audit revealed that almost 40 percent of injuries were attributed to slips, trips, and falls in their stockroom environments. In response, the company initiated the Safety Focused Stockroom program. This strategy transformed storage layouts, prioritizing the safe storage of merchandise without ladder usage. Since its inception, the program has significantly reduced related workers’ compensation claims.
Safety Innovation — APTIM, responsible for maintaining the U.S. Department of Defense’s fuel infrastructure assets, garnered the award. To enhance safety in multiple remote locations, APTIM integrated digital tools for improved communication, documentation, and real-time engagement. This innovative approach has remarkably decreased incident rates over the past three years.
In addition to acknowledging these distinguished recipients, the event raised an estimated $720,000 for mission-essential initiatives encompassing safety research, education, and advocacy, according to the NSC.
“NSC is proud to recognize these organizations for advocating, excelling, and innovating to keep workers safe,” said Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “The commitment to safety amongst this year’s group is unparalleled, and it is a great honor to celebrate their efforts and accomplishments with them. Thank you and congratulations to this year’s Green Cross for Safety award finalists and winners.”
Learn more about each winner, finalist, and the Green Cross Celebration at greencross.nsc.org.
About the Author
David Kopf is the publisher and executive editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine.