Butterball, LLC Receives ‘HRevolution Award’ For Outstanding Worker Safety Program

Oct. 14, 2009 - PRLog -- Raleigh, N.C. - Butterball, LLC has received the 2009 ‘HRevolution Award’ for its excellent worker safety program. The annual award is presented  in partnership by The National Provisioner, a leading technical journal in the poultry industry, and The Ameritas Group, a provider for employer groups.

North Carolina State manager for the Ameritas Group, Charles Woody, and executive editor from The National Provisioner, Andrew Hanacek, visited Butterball’s headquarters in Garner, N.C. to conduct the official award presentation on August 17. They were joined by Keith Shoemaker, president and CEO, as well as Brian Rodgers, director of safety and risk management, who accepted the award on behalf of Butterball.

“Employee health and safety are two of Butterball’s primary human resource initiatives,” said Gary Lenaghan, vice president of human resources. “We are deeply honored to receive the ‘HRevolution Award.’  This recognition underscores our commitment to develop premier safety standards that protect all of our valued team members every day.”

Established in 2006, the ‘HRevolution Award’ recognizes processors that provide innovative human resource programs for employees. Initiatives that are honored often provide unique benefits that enhance safety or heath, provide financial relief or offer educational opportunities for employees and their families.

For many years, Butterball has successfully developed and implemented extensive worker safety programs that integrate into the daily work experience for employees at the company’s seven processing facilities.

Based on regulatory standards developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program (OSHA VPP), the company’s safety initiatives have secured numerous accolades including:
•   Four STAR Sites recognitions from the federal OSHA VPP for attaining low injury rates.
•   Three “Star Among Star” recognitions for processing complexes that report injury rates 50 percent below industry standards.
•   One “Rising STAR Site” designation from the North Carolina OSHA VPP for the company’s Mt. Olive, N.C. facility.
•   Four American Meat Institute safety awards.

About Butterball, LLC:
Butterball, LLC, the largest producer of turkey products in the United States, is headquartered in Garner, N.C. For more than 50 years, the iconic brand’s succulent whole bird products have been a central part of special moments.  Today, the company also has a broad array of offerings for retail, deli and foodservice that help make meals something to celebrate every day. Butterball products are enjoyed domestically and internationally.

The company’s three-pronged approach to Doing Business Right focuses on self-governance, sustainability and social responsibility.  The initiative plays a key role in providing internal oversight for integrating values that are important to the company.

As the industry leader in quality and food safety, the company employs numerous processes to ensure the health of flocks and implements recognized prevention measures to exceed food safety standards in its seven plants, located in North Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas and Missouri.  In addition, Butterball has surpassed important workplace safety and health benchmarks set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program.

For more information about Butterball, visit www.butterball.com. You can also call 1-800-BUTTERBALL for answers to your most puzzling questions about turkey preparation.