The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council recognized 115 chicken and turkey facilities for their outstanding safety performances at the 2015 National Safety Conference for the poultry industry in Myrtle Beach, SC.

According to the awards organizers, the facilities were honored for their implementation of innovative and effective employee safety and health programs.

“The 2015 awards program resulted in the largest number of award recipients ever, despite more rigorous conditions to qualify,” said the council. “This increase further highlights the industry’s dedication to workplace safety. We congratulate these facilities and their management teams. The awards recognize their excellent safety performance achievement as a result of successful and advanced programs. The significant and continued decrease in illness and injury rates among poultry’s workforce over the last two decades is a direct result of their commitment ot worker safety.”

The council said the total recordable poultry processing illness and injury rate for 2013 was 4.5 cases per 100 full-time employees, down from 4.9 a year earlier. Overall, the rate of injury has decreased 80 percent since 1994 when the recorded rate was 22.7.

 A full list of award recipients can be found here.