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AGA recognizes Peoples Gas for big safety achievement

Peoples Gas team member George Halpern working at the Reunion Gate Station near Kissimmee, FL.
Peoples Gas team member George Halpern working at the Reunion Gate Station near Kissimmee, FL.

In strictly literal terms, five years in a row with safety success like this doesn’t happen by accident. And with recognition by the American Gas Association (AGA) of Peoples Gas’ latest achievement – a DART (Days Away, Restricted or Transferred) safety incident rate better than the industry average – team members have a lot to be proud about.

The AGA awarded Peoples Gas its 2013 Accident Prevention Certificate in May. This award goes to companies with DART incident rates better than the national average – and Peoples Gas has done it for five straight years. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) calculates the DART incident rate by factoring in recordable cases involving employee days away from work, restricted or transferred due to injury.

“This award is a great example of how much safety has become part of our culture,” said Rick Wall, director of Gas Operations. “Our team members are living and embracing it, as demonstrated by their focus and these results. As much as we talk about staying safe, the critical thing is that we back it up with actions, and this is proof that we’re taking the right precautions in everything we do, we’re filing near-miss reports and looking out for each other.”

With about 350,000 customers, People Gas operates in communities across Florida as the state’s largest natural gas distribution company. The company maintains more than 9,200 miles of system infrastructure.

“Our team members are in constant motion over a lot of ground, and when you think about the safety-related challenges for anyone inherent in everyday life, it’s a lot greater when you consider the kind of things we’re responsible for,” said Safety Supervisor Shana Rini. “But we’re very pleased to achieve this safety record and we’re focused on doing everything we can to get even better.”

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