Zippo Manufacturing Company is one of 15 companies in the semi-final round of selection for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence.

Of the thousands of businesses in the Commonwealth, only 75 applied for the award. Of those 75, only 15 were chosen to move into the semi-finals. Zippo was one of them.

The Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence is a highly competitive award aimed to recognize businesses that possess best practice safety programs and go “above and beyond” in every aspect of safety.

Initial review of all nominations is conducted by the Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence Semi-Finalist Review Committee. If approved by Labor and Industry Department officials, the semi-finalists are contacted for an on-site visit. Zippo’s on site visit was conducted on August 25.

Michelle Kafkalas, Program Coordinator and Robert Pierce, Head Auditor from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor / Safety Selection Committee, presented Zippo Owner and Chairman of the Board George Duke with a semi-finalist award as Zippo moves into stage two of the selection process which includes a tour of Zippo facilities.

“It is wonderful to receive this award on behalf of Zippo. It is the people of Zippo that made this happen,” said Duke, accepting the award. “We are more focused on safety now than the company has ever been.”

Members of the Department’s safety team conduct site visits, review the nominees’ comprehensive safety programs, and submit written reports to the Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence Review Committee for the determination of finalists. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Secretary of Labor and Industry, who makes the final selection. The annual Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Conference in Hershey, PA, slated for October 19 and 20, is the stage for winner recognition and awards presentation.

Ed Hayden, Zippo Environmental, Health and Safety Manager, attributes Zippo’s successful safety program to several factors. “The commitment to safety by everyone from production employees to managers and executive staff, to the president and owner of the company plays a critical role. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure our employees are not in danger, and we schedule audits and inspections on a regular basis to make certain all processes are conducted safely.”