For release: April 6 , 2007

Contacts: 
Shawn Nelson, Environment, Safety, Health and Assurance, (515) 294-9769
Steve Karsjen , Public Affairs, 515-294-1405

AMES LABORATORY RECEIVES SAFETY COUNCIL AWARD

Award recognizes Lab’s low injury/illness incidence rate

AMES, Iowa – The U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory will receive a safety award from the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council.  The award will recognize the Laboratory’s low incidence reporting rate for 2006 for work-related injuries.  Ames Lab’s incidence rate in the North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS, was 0.45, a rate more than three times below the national average for Iowa and Illinois, which is 1.7.

In 2006, the Ames Laboratory recorded only two work-related injuries.  Work-related injuries include those that result in days away from work, medical treatment beyond first aid, restricted work or transfer to another job, to name a few.  Shawn Nelson, Ames Laboratory industrial safety specialist, attributes the lower rate to the Laboratory’s strong safety culture, which includes a combination of training, an emphasis on safety and management accountability.
 
The Iowa-Illinois Safety Council is a chapter member of the National Safety Council and  is a nongoverment, not-for-profit public service organization.  Its mission is to educate society to adopt effective safety, health and environmental practices and to provide high quality, value-added training and services.  In the award notification received by the Laboratory, the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council thanked Ames Lab for its “awareness of the need for progressive safety programs.”

Ames Laboratory, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2007, is operated for the Department of Energy by Iowa State University. The Lab conducts research into various areas of national concern, including energy resources, high-speed computer design, environmental cleanup and restoration, and the synthesis and study of new materials.

###

Return to 2007 Press Releases