Cranberry Wastewater Treatment Plant Wins Safety Award

Brush Creek wastewater treatment plant is being recognized for its safety measures.

The Western Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Association – an organization of more than 600 professionals working at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities throughout an 18-county area – awarded the plant its Facilities Safety Award for 2011.

The award, which was announced at an association meeting on Oct. 28, is part of a program designed to recognize regional wastewater plants and collection systems that have developed and maintained comprehensive safety programs. Cranberry’s plant, which employs 12, was honored in the association’s Class II division – a division that includes all of the largest plants in Western Pennsylvania.

The award was based on responses to a questionnaire regarding plant safety training, material handling, equipment safety, emergency preparedness and personal protective gear. A safety committee of the association selected the winners.

Cranberry’s safety program included the development of safety manuals outlining best practices in each area of township responsibility. Unlike the common perception of safety manuals as tools to focus on workers’ negatives, Cranberry’s public works department wanted to create a positive incentive to recognize safe practices, a statement from Cranberry said.

In response to a number of preventable injuries that led to time off work by staff, the plant’s new safety program provides individual as well as team-centered motivation to be more vigilant about avoiding injuries, the statement said.

The program also offers guidance on improved work methods and tools. No accidents leading to time off have taken place at the plant during the past calendar year, the statement said.