Gannett Fleming safety program earns national recognition

HARRISBURG, PA. — A Gannett Fleming internal event developed to highlight the importance of safety on the job has been honored in the Society for Marketing Professional Services’ (SMPS) National Marketing Communications Awards program. The event, a personal protective equipment (PPE) fashion show, received the designation of second place in the internal communications category.

Amy Collins, CPSM, a deputy manager in the Corporate Communications & Marketing Section, and Paula Loht, CIH, corporate safety manager, both in the firm’s corporate headquarters in Harrisburg, developed the concept and managed the PPE fashion show. The event featured more than 35 employees dressed in PPE commonly used in the firm’s line of work free-climbing bridge inspections, environmental studies, traffic and transportation audits, water treatment plant design, and geotechnical engineering.

The “runway models” showcased various styles of gloves, hard hats, boots, vests, harnesses, and suits for the instructional entertainment of employees. Designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with workplace hazards, examples of PPE include fall protection harnesses, eye protection, hard hats, safety shoes, coveralls, gloves, reflective vests, hearing protection, and respirators. The session was part of the firm’s first Board of Directors designated Safety Break Day on June 14, 2012.

“Creative and frequent communications are the hallmark of our employee safety program. The fashion show both entertained and educated staff about the importance of safety equipment, the availability of the gear, and the significance of planning ahead for any task,” Loht said.

The SMPS National Marketing Communications Awards program is the longest-standing, most prestigious awards competition that recognizes excellence in marketing communications by professional services firms in the design and building industry. SMPS presented the award at its national conference on Aug. 1, 2013 in Orlando, Fla.

Gannett Fleming maintains a below-industry average total recordable incident and experience modification rates.