The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said it is now accepting applications for the 16th annual Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Awards, a program that honors facilities and trucking operations for outstanding worker safety performance. As award criteria, IDFA uses both leading and lagging indicators recommended by health and safety experts as essential to an effective worker safety program.

“The Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Awards allows IDFA to recognize members that have implemented proactive safety programs to prevent illness and injuries from occurring in the workplace and that have outstanding safety statistics to verify the programs are working,” said Danielle Quist, senior director of regulatory affairs and counsel for Washington, D.C.-based IDFA.

Examples of leading indicators include:

• Number of inspections conducted.
• Number of safety and health hazards identified.
• Decreased time for hazard abatement.
• Increased employing training.
• Safety suggestions implemented.
• Job hazard analyses completed.

Dairy processing and trucking operations will be judged on occupational injury and illness performance rates, which are recorded in each operation’s “Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses” report (Occupational Safety and Health Administration Form 300A), as well as on the components of their safety and health programs.

To be eligible for an award, a processing facility or transportation operation must implement an effective and innovative health and safety program and have illness and injury rates below the industry average, IDFA said.

“The dairy industry continually signals that worker safety is a top priority by demonstrating their efforts to provide a safe and productive work environment for all employees,” said Quist. “We encourage all dairy facilities to nominate their processing and trucking operations so that IDFA and the industry can recognize and celebrate their success.”

Award winners will be notified in June and featured in Dairy Foods magazine, which co-sponsors the safety awards program.

Companies must be an IDFA member to enter. The 2020 award program rules, regulations and application form are available here, and there is no fee to enter. All entries must be submitted to IDFA no later than March 27, 2020.

For more information, contact Quist at dquist@idfa.org or (202) 220-3508.