For achieving 1.7 million employee hours and nearly 10 years without a lost-time accident, Safe Harbor Water Power Co. has been given the Pennsylvania Governor's Award for Safety Excellence.

The award, created in 1996 by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, recognizes companies that have developed safe work practices by implementing comprehensive safety programs and joint employee-management safety committees.

Safe Harbor Water Power Co. is jointly owned by PP&L, Inc. and Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. The company operates the Safe Harbor hydroelectric plant at Conestoga, Pa.

Michael Acker, executive deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, presented the award at the Safe Harbor plant Friday (10/ 22).

"Key to the success of Safe Harbor's safety effort is the close attention employees give to the safety of themselves, their co-workers and visitors," said Marshall Kaiser, president and chief executive officer of Safe Harbor Water Power Co.

The company was selected for the award because employees at Safe Harbor have a strong voice in safety recommendations and modifications. The plant's safety committee works closely with management to provide training in respiratory protection, hazardous material management and procedures for working with electrical equipment and in confined spaces.

First aid and CPR training are provided for employees, and there are trained first responder and fire brigade teams on site.

"Thanks to our employees' commitment to safety, no one at the Safe Harbor plant has had to suffer the pain and inconvenience of a lost-time injury in nearly 10 years," Kaiser said.