Scotia Village was recently notified by the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) that it has been awarded, for the sixth consecutive year, the NCDOL Safety Award. According to state Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, "a safety award shows employees and the community that you are committed to a safe work environment. A good safety record is something to be proud of, and businesses deserve to be recognized for their efforts."
Businesses that qualify for the award must meet two requirements. First, they must be free of fatalities at that site, Second, the site's injury and illness rate must be at least 50 percent below that of their industry's average rate.
The Certificate of achievement proclaims that the efforts of Scotia Village "resulted in a substantial reduction of injuries and illnesses and the promotion of safer working conditions in 2009." "This award is something we are extremely proud of," Executive Director of Scotia Village Clarell Litchford said. "We are dedicated to providing and promoting a safe work environment for our employees."
Scotia Village provides its employees programs and educational opportunities to keep safety a top prioritiy. The "Caught Being Safe" program keeps safety in the forefront by offering a fun way for employees to be rewarded for their safe work habits. "This program involves every body and is peer driven, making it fun for everone," said Melissa Goins, Safety Committee Chair at Scotia Village. Scotia Village also encourages all employees to pay attention and they are encouraged to report things they see that could be unsafe. Clarell Litchford believes, "that safety is a team effort. As management we can preach it all day long, but until the employees take ownership of the idea it will never fly." She continued, "Our employees recognize the importance of safety and it is a priortiy in their daily schedules."