Waste Pro presents $10K Safety Awards to Mississippi drivers

Waste Pro announced that four drivers from its Gautier, Mississippi, division have earned the company’s $10,000 Safety Award.


Waste Pro, Longwood, Florida, announced on April 24 that four drivers from its Gautier, Mississippi, division have earned the company’s $10,000 Safety Award.

The $10,000 Safety Award is given to Waste Pro drivers who go three years without accidents, injuries or property damage; maintain a positive attitude; have a strong attendance record; and keep a well-kept truck.

Deanna Defelippo, Nelson Ross, Ray Wise and Steven Hopson were presented with their checks on April 22. For Ross, this was the third time earning the award since joining Waste Pro in 2005. This marked the second award for Defelippo, who was the division’s first female driver to earn the award back in 2017.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, solid waste collection is one of the top five most dangerous jobs in the United States. In 2017, BLS data showed the fatality rate for solid waste collectors was 10 times that of the national average. To help improve on-the-job safety, Waste Pro established the $10,000 Safety Award program in 2004 as an incentive for drivers to stay safe while out on the road. Since the program’s establishment, nearly $5 million has been awarded to drivers through the program.