The programme is open to National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and US Poultry & Egg Association members with poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills or rendering facilities that have injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the workplace injury and illness rates for the poultry industry have reduced by 73 per cent over a 15-year period (1994 through 2008).

Craig Wyvill, retired division chief of the Georgia Tech Research Institute's Food Processing Technology Division said: "The dramatic reduction in recordable injuries and illnesses is not surprising when you consider that over the past 25 years the industry has put considerable emphasis not only on complying with safety regulations but also on proactively tackling safety challenges. [The industry's] efforts have changed the way safety is handled in processing plants today."

Joint Poultry Industry Safety and Health Council Chairman Brian Rodgers, director, safety and risk management, Butterball, LLC, commented: "The overriding purpose of establishing safety excellence awards for our member organizations is to recognize the outstanding safety performance achievements of member companies and to encourage continuous safety and health program improvement throughout our industry."

Award programme rules and applications may be obtained online [click here]. The application deadline for this year's awards is 15 March 2010. The annual awards will be presented during the National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry, June 9-11, 2010, at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council is made up of members from the US Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Collectively, the three organizations represent 95 per cent of the nation's poultry products and employ hundreds of thousands of workers.