South Thomaston Fire Department and the Town of Jay To Receive SHAPE Awards for Safety

March 8, 2013

SHAPE honors public-sector employers and employees who provide a safe workplace

For Immediate Release: March 8, 2013
Contact: Julie Rabinowitz, 207-621-5009

SHAPE honors public-sector employers and employees who provide a safe workplace

AUGUSTA? Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette announced that two municipal organizations in Maine have earned the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers (SHAPE). This certification recognizes public-sector organizations that voluntary undertake a rigorous safety achievement program for their workers.

?We congratulate the town of Jay and the South Thomaston Fire Department for becoming SHAPE certified,? Paquette said. Officials from the Maine Department of Labor will present the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers (SHAPE) to the Town of Jay and South Thomaston Fire Department (STFD).

?Organizations that achieve SHAPE status demonstrate that focusing on worker safety is of utmost importance,? she explained. ?These departments know that keeping workers safe is not only good for the people of Maine, but also good for their communities and their taxpayers. Better safety means less lost time due to injury and illness as well as lower workers? comp costs.?

The STFD will receive their SHAPE award on March 12 at 6 p.m. at the selectmen?s meeting. It is the 31st fire department to receive this award since 2005. Of these, 28 fire departments have maintained their SHAPE status.

The Town of Jay will receive its award on March 25 at 6 p.m., at the town office. The Town of Jay is only the fifth municipal employer to receive SHAPE status town/city-wide for all departments. Jay?s fire department and police department first earned SHAPE recognition in March 2012.

The SHAPE award was originally conceived in 2005 as a way to recognize public-sector employers and employees who are striving to provide a safe and healthful workplace. It is given only to exemplary public-sector employers after a thorough review and inspection of the employer?s safety and health policies and procedures by a SafetyWorks! consultant.

Municipalities and other public entities interested in learning more about the SHAPE designation should contact SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE 345 (1-877-723-3345) or http://www.safetyworksmaine.com . SafetyWorks! provides a trained consultant with industry-specific expertise who will review the facility by appointment. The consultation may include such elements as recognizing safety hazards, sampling for air and noise exposures, recommending ways to reduce or to eliminate hazards, developing or improving a safety program, complying with regulations and identifying training needs.

The Maine Department of Labor has enforcement authority of health and safety standards for public-sector employers in Maine and is responsible for inspecting workplace injuries or fatalities suffered by public employees.

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