The program is designed to acknowledge Green Industry professionals who consistently demonstrate their commitment to safety, reflecting the dedication of these individuals and their companies to creating and maintaining safe work environments.All Green Industry companies and branches are eligible to enter the Safety Recognition Awards Program. This year, 190 companies submitted entries and 442 awards were earned for the performance period from Jan. 1, 2011, through Dec. 13, 2011.

Award categories include “No Vehicle Accidents,” “No Injuries or Illnesses,” and “No Days Away From Work.” Companies who participated in previous programs were also eligible for the “Most Improved” category.

The “Overall Safety Achievement” award honors those companies with high-performing safety programs that create and maintain safe work environments in the green industry. Companies are eligible for this award if they demonstrate outstanding safety performance in the workplace based on their combined fleet and employee incident rates.

“PLANET and CNA are both committed to helping companies maintain the highest safety standards,” says Craig Clark, chair of PLANET’s Safety Committee. “The awards program is an important way to recognize those companies that are excelling.”

New this year, a “Best of the Best” award is being given to those companies who, for the past three years, have maintained the “Overall Safety Achievement Award – Gold Level” status. Recipients of the “Best of the Best,” “Most Improved,” and “Overall Safety Achievement” awards will be recognized on stage during PLANET’s Green Industry Conference awards presentation and reception on Oct. 26, 2012, in Louisville, KY.

Congratulations to the “Best of the Best” recipients:

• Ecolawn: Eastlake, OH
• Fox Run Nurseries: Alexandria, VA
• Greenleaf Services: Linville, NC
• Keep It Green Landscaping: Fair Lawn, NJ
• Kodiak Landscape Design: Haskell, NJ
• No Ka Oi Landscape Services: Hanapepe, HI
• Trio Outdoor Maintenance, LLC: Mt. Clemens, MI