Safety Awards Presented to Local Employers

The North Carolina Department of Labor recognized Lincoln County employers and employees at the agency’s annual safety awards banquet held last Wednesday (April 12th) at the Northgate Venue in Lincolnton. The awards honor outstanding on-the-job safety achievements of each recipient during the previous year, and for some, their long-term success in efforts to keep their workers safe while working.

The event was hosted by the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce. North Carolina Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson was the keynote speaker.

“These employers and their employees show us the true importance of a strong commitment to safety and health each and every day,” Dobson said. “North Carolina’s injury and illness rate remains at an historic low. 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 recognition.”

Under program rules, companies must have been free of fatal accidents at the site for which any award is given. The gold award criteria is 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 an 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.

Silver Awards for 2022 were presented as follows:

Lincoln County Library (first year)
Cataler, North America (third year)

Gold Awards for 2022 included:

First Year Awards
City of Lincolnton Parks and Recreation
City of Lincolnton Police Department
City of Lincolnton Utilities Department
Atrium Health-Lincoln
Lincoln County Government Public Works
Lincoln County Government Grounds
Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute (Lincolnton location)

Second Consecutive Year Awards
Steele Rubber Products, Inc.
City of Lincolnton Administrative Offices
City of Lincolnton Public Works
Lincoln County Fire Marshal’s Office

Third Consecutive Year Awards
Lincoln County TLC (Transportation)
Lincoln County Tax Dept.
Lincoln County Parks and Recreation
Lincoln County Health Department
Lincolnton Fire Department

Fourth Consecutive Year Award
Lincoln County Communications Center

Fifth Consecutive Year Award
Lincoln County Register of Deeds

Seventh Consecutive Year Awards
Lincoln County Planning and Inspections
Lincoln County Board of Elections
The M. Conley Company

Eighth Consecutive Year Awards
Lincoln County Department of Social Services
Lincoln County Finance Office

Ninth Consecutive Year Award
Leonard Automatics, Inc.

10th Consecutive Year Awards
Lincoln County Veterans Services Office
Lincoln County Senior Services
Lincoln County Information Technology Dept.
Lincoln County Cooperative Extension office
West Lincoln Veterinary Hospital

11th Consecutive Year Award
Lincoln County Emergency Management

12th Consecutive Year Awards
Lincoln County Soil and Water Conservation District office
Lincoln County Human Resources Dept.
Lincoln County--County Manager’s Office

14th Consecutive Year Award
Salem Industries

Duke Energy's Lincoln Combustion Turbine Plant, located just off Old Plank Road, achieved a remarkable safety record, and was presented with its 27th consecutive Gold Award. The plant was recognized in March with a Milestone Award from the Lincoln County Economic Development Association for 30 years of operating in Lincoln County. The groundbreaking for the plant was held in 1993, but operations actually began in 1995. The facility operates 16 natural gas-fired combustion turbines and has operated without a lost time industrial accident for its entire history.