SWANA announces 2023 Safety Awards winners

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has recognized the recipients of the 2023 SWANA Safety Awards.

This year’s winners are the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Bureau of Waste Management Services for Biggest Safety Improvement; the city of Goodyear, Arizona, Public Works Department for Workplace Wellness Program; the city of Tacoma Washington, Solid Waste Management Division for Best Safety Innovation; and Leck Waste Services in Ivyland, Pennsylvania, for Best Safety Training Program.

This is the inaugural year for both the Workplace Wellness Program and Best Safety Training Program awards, SWANA says.

“During the pandemic, we looked at companies’ COVID responses and recognized those who addressed concerns for our essential workers and kept them healthy during a troubling time,” says Suzanne Sturgeon, Long Beach, California-based SCS Engineers’ safety manager and SWANA National Safety Committee chair. “It’s important now to look beyond that, and we made the decision to recognize how wellness programs contribute to [the] health and safety of employees and how effective and multi-faceted safety training programs provide employees with various opportunities for learning and growth.”

Biggest Safety Improvement

The 2023 SWANA Safety Award for Biggest Safety Improvement was awarded to the Anne Arundel County Bureau of Waste Management Services. By harnessing the expertise of frontline employees through its Safety Leaders program, SWANA says the bureau fostered a “truly collaborative” approach where each level contributed from their unique vantage point to develop a comprehensive and effective safety program. The result was an unprecedented milestone for the bureau of eliminating any Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) reportable injuries for 23 months.

Workplace Wellness Program

Goodyear’s Public Works Department was awarded this year’s Workplace Wellness award. This is the first year that this award has been presented. The city of Goodyear subscribed to a “whole employee” philosophy, encompassing the spirit, heart, mind, and body with the goal of achieving ultimate satisfaction and maximum contribution. This led to greater worker engagement and a 95 percent overall job satisfaction rate.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the exceptional accomplishments of our Goodyear solid waste team in winning the inaugural Workplace Wellness award from SWANA,” says Sumeet Mohan, Goodyear’s public works director. “This recognition underscores our team’s unwavering commitment to prioritizing the well-being of our employees. By effectively implementing our comprehensive health and wellness programs, we have reduced health risks and enhanced the overall quality of life for our workforce.

“I would also like to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our safety, risk, and HR teams, whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in achieving this remarkable milestone. Together, we will continue to foster a supportive and thriving workplace environment.”

RELATED: Cultivating a strong safety culture

Best Safety Innovation

The 2023 SWANA Safety Award for Best Safety Innovation went to Tacoma’s Solid Waste Management Division. To change the organization’s safety culture, the city implemented a one-year Safety Coordinator Program that provides individuals with entry-level training in the field of occupational safety. This has helped decrease their days away, restricted or transferred (DART) rate by 44 percent and on-the-job injuries and incidents by seven percent.

"The city of Tacoma Solid Waste Management Division has committed to making safety every employee’s responsibility,” says Lewis Griffith, the city’s Solid Waste Management Division manager. “I am proud of the great innovative ideas and the positive changes to our safety culture that our team has been able to accomplish as people in all roles, from drivers to solid waste workers to administrative staff have stepped up and embraced our ‘Safety starts with me’ motto.”

Best Safety Training Program

The 2023 SWANA Safety Award for Best Safety Training Program was awarded to Leck Waste Services. This is the first year that this award has been presented.

Leck Waste Services used a proactive approach towards training and provided employees with electives that they could use to build their careers. This resulted in better employee retention and decreases in recordable incidents, days away from work, workers’ compensation and auto liability.

“Leck Waste Services is honored to be recognized by SWANA,” says Leck’s Corporate Health and Safety Compliance Director John Andel. “We are grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and contributions of our team towards improving the overall safety of the waste industry.”

Leck Waste Services previously won a 2020 Best Safety Innovation Award and was recognized with an Honorable Mention in 2021.

The 2023 SWANA Safety Award winners will be recognized in a ceremony at WasteCon in Boston and will present on their programs as part of the Safety Summit occurring during the conference.