The North American Meat Institute recognized 138 meat and poultry plants for achieving high levels of workplace safety performance as part of the industry’s continuing effort to reduce occupational injury and illness rates.

Thirty-six plants were presented the highest award — the Award of Honor. Fifty plants received the Award of Merit, while 33 were presented with the Award of Commendation. Nineteen plants received the Certificate of Recognition.

“Worker safety progress is one of our industry’s greatest success stories. Over the last 10 years, injury and illness rates in the U.S. meat industry have declined by nearly 50%, and that improvement reaches almost 80% when considering the past 20 years,” says NAMI President and CEO Barry Carpenter. “This impressive decline in the rate of injury and illness in the meat and poultry industry is a testament to the commitment to safety performance that is embraced throughout our plants.”

The Worker Safety Recognition Awards were presented April 5 during the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education’s Worker Safety, Labor and Employment Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago.

To view a list of this year’s award winners, click here.