North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley recognized outstanding employers and employees from the Goldsboro region at the annual Safety Awards Banquet on Wednesday, April 16. The event, hosted at Walnut Creek Country Club, was held in partnership with the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.
During his keynote address, Commissioner Farley emphasized the importance of cultivating a statewide culture of workplace safety.
“As Labor Commissioner, my top priority is making sure North Carolina workers go home safe and healthy at the end of every workday,” Farley said. “It’s an honor to travel across our state and recognize the businesses and individuals who’ve earned these safety awards — not just for what they’ve achieved, but for their daily commitment to creating safe workplaces.”
“Earning this recognition sends a powerful message: you care about your people, and you’re serious about safety,” Farley continued. “We all have a role — workers, supervisors, managers and the Department — in building a culture where safety isn’t just a rule, it’s a shared mission.”
The awards honor exemplary on-the-job safety performance during 2024. Recipients include businesses located in Goldsboro and the surrounding counties.
To qualify, companies must have had no fatalities at the site for which the award is given. Gold Awards are presented to companies with a DART (Days Away, Restricted or Transferred) rate at least 50% below the statewide average for their industry. Silver Awards are given based on an incidence rate for cases involving days away from work that is at least 50% below the industry average.
These awards reflect a strong commitment to preventing workplace injuries and fostering a culture of safety across North Carolina’s business community.
The Goldsboro banquet is one of several being held statewide this spring to honor safety excellence. For a full list of award recipients or to learn more about the Safety Awards Program, visit labor.nc.gov.
More information on the N.C. Department of Labor’s Safety Awards Program is available by calling 919-707-7855 or emailing Kiley Willard at kiley.willard@labor.nc.gov.