Workplace Safety Awards

This program honors leaders in our state’s business community for achieving excellence in safety & health.

Celebrating Over 31 Years!

The application process opens Jan. 1 – Feb. 3, 2025

For Wisconsin-based organizations only. The 31st Annual Wisconsin Workplace Safety Awards will open in January 1, 2025. Previous applicants have suggested that new applicants print, and fill out the page below to help complete their Phase I application online.

Now easier than ever, the streamlined application process can be fully completed online at www.wisafetycouncil.org.

Award Overview

This program honors leaders in our state’s business community for achieving excellence in safety & health.

Award Sponsors

                     

Celebrating our 31st year, this awards program honors businesses for exemplary safety records and excellence in safety & health management.

These businesses are making safety a top priority. They have gone to extensive measures to assure their most valuable asset—their employees—are safe on the job.

Awards

The Wisconsin Workplace Safety Awards will be based on size of organization AND type of organization. A total of up to 10 grand awards are presented each year.

A. Size of Organizations
Based on actual payroll hours worked are the number of paid work hours for the calendar year (including office hours, but excluding vacation and holidays). You must include all fulltime, part-time, seasonal and temporary employees who work under your organization’s supervision. Three size categories in all types (small, medium and large).

B. Types of Organizations
Category A: Manufacturing – NAICS Codes 31-33
Category B: Agricultural, Forestry, Transportation, Mining and Utilities – NAICS Codes 11-22 and Other – NAICS Codes 42-92
Category C: Construction – NAICS Code 23

NEW THIS YEAR! Determining “reporting as” section: Entire WI Organization OR 1 Separate Division/Operations Unit
If reporting separate Division/Operations Unit:  – New this year, you may submit only ONE division versus multiple divisions. Each unit must maintain separate safety results within the organization. They must also maintain separate/differentiating safety programs.

For assistance in determining your NAICS code, visit http://www.census.gov/naics/

The Wisconsin Workplace Safety Award selection process involves two phases.

      • In Phase I, statistical data relating to a company’s incidence rates for the past three years, with an emphasis on current full year’s calendar data, was reviewed and a core group of finalists was selected. Companies below and up to 10% over the National Average within their NAICS code will automatically move on to Phase II. Others will be determined by committee.
      • In Phase II the finalists —selected by the Workplace Safety Award committee — will be notified and asked to answer a series of subjective questions pertaining to workplace health and safety issues.
      • Winners in each category will be recognized during the Annual Safety Conference, on April 14-16, 2025 in WI Dells.
      • Winners from last year are unable to apply the immediate following year. However, in the interim, we ask winners to judge that years’ finalists reports.

 

Why Apply?

      • Recognition: Winning a WSA is an excellent recognition tool and provides opportunities for new business thanks to the prestige and exposure of the award.
      • This program gives much deserved recognition to your employees for their loyalty, hard work and dedication.
      • Leading companies like yours deserve the opportunity to be recognized as a leader in workplace safety efforts.
      • Exclusivity– winning this award places you in an elite group of fewer than 200 Wisconsin companies who have won in the 30 years this program has been honoring deserving organizations.
      • Nominees and winners alike have received substantial and deserved recognition in the media locally, statewide and beyond.
      • This awards program highlights significant accomplishments and industry firsts of those companies leading the way for future generations.
      • The application process allows you to fully assess your organization – a valuable tool because it helps you evaluate your safety program’s strengths and improve upon weaknesses.
      • Morale Booster: Many winners cite their workers as deserving the majority of the credit for the award. Many winning organizations use the award as an opportunity to show appreciation to their associates for a job well done.

Wisconsin Safety Council