Honoring the Commitment to Safety

This marks the fourth year that SWANA will be presenting Safety Awards to honor those organizations that have made the biggest improvements and best innovations in the industry. Though the trophy is nice and the recognition of being a safety leader an honor, it is keeping workers and the public safe that are the real prize. Solid waste is a job where it’s far too easy to get seriously injured or killed, but it does not have to be that way.

When the Safety Awards were established, they were meant to highlight both the challenges this industry has and the creative, dedicated people who have faced them head-on. Whether it is Aria Energy and Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation who were our first winners in 2016, or last year’s overall winner, Lakeshore Recycling Systems, they show that injuries and fatalities should not just be seen as the cost of doing business. The resources exist to reduce risk – the many impressive applications SWANA has received over the years prove that. What is necessary is commitment. And that is what the Safety Awards are truly honoring.

If your organization has made a big improvement in safety or found an innovative way to put safety into practice, be sure to apply before May 31^st. We’ve updated the process to make it much easier and shorter. And if your organization still has a long ways to go to make safety a priority, make the first step today and take the SWANA Safety Pledge online. Afterwards, you can view past Safety Awards applicants and learn how some of the best in the business have done it. Whether a Safety Award winner or a recent safety convert, we all must recognize that Safety Matters. 

Thank you to the 2019 SWANA Safety Awards sponsors, Autocar, New Way Refuse Trucks, & PRECO Electronics.