Mayor Don Walters is proud to announce that the City of Cuyahoga Falls Electric Department has been awarded a Safety Innovations Award from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). The Electric Department was one of five employers in the State of Ohio to receive recognition at the 2016 Safety Innovations Competition and will be awarded $1,500 for an Underground Cable Puller.
The Underground Cable Puller uses air pressure and a “bird” to blow the pulling rope through the underground conduit. The puller utilizes steel cable instead of rope and pulls it onto a reel as it pulls the underground cable in the conduit with the steel cable.
“Safety is one of our greatest priorities in the City of Cuyahoga Falls,” stated Mayor Walters. “I am incredibly pleased with the accomplishments of our Electric Department and their continued commitment to finding new ways to effectively and efficiently serve residents.”
The annual Safety Innovations Competition identifies Ohio employers that have developed innovative solutions to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses. The awards were presented at the Ohio Safety Congress and Expo 2016, BWC’s annual three-day occupational safety, health and workers’ compensation conference.
“The Innovations Awards recognize Ohio employers that go above and beyond typical safety efforts by innovating to protect their workers and improve productivity,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “By placing the wellbeing of employees among their highest priorities, and innovating in the absence of an existing solution, these employers demonstrate an exceptional commitment to safety that is essential to maintaining a healthy workforce and a healthy bottom line.”
The Safety Innovations Competition was introduced in 2012 to encourage and recognize innovative solutions that reduce the risk of workplace injuries and illnesses. The five finalists showcased their innovations at Safety Congress held in early March. A panel of independent judges evaluated and scored the innovations based on a number of criteria, including risk reduction, innovation, return on investment, the potential for the innovation to be utilized by other employers, and presentation quality.