James "Skipper" Kendrick, Director of EHS Training at Textron Inc., was named Safety Trainer of the Year for continuing excellence in the field of safety training. Skipper has pioneered the use of both the web and video at Textron to broadly deliver effective safety messages - and results. One video, titled "Safety Starts with Me", included Textron's CEO, was translated into 9 languages, and was viewed by almost all Textron employees, with over 26,000 worldwide downloads.

Robert Duckworth, Senior Manager of HSE at Fluor Corporation was awarded Safety Hero of the Year for his heroic efforts in rescuing four teenagers from a vehicle that had slid into a 60-foot deep snow-covered embankment. Not only did Duckworth choose to stop that day, but remained to assist in the extrication and stabilization of the injured, all of whom have made full recoveries.

Lauryn Franzoni, Vice President and Executive Director of ExecuNet, received the SafetyXChange Contributor of the Year Award for her outstanding commitment to SafetyXChange. Nominated and selected by members of the SafetyXChange community, her contributions are estimated to include over 150 articles, with advice and information to readers focused on the intersection of safety, careers, and management.

Russell Construction was awarded Safety Program of the Year for excellence in safety program development, demonstrated by efforts starting in 2006 to establish a "zero-injury safety culture" throughout the organization. The results have been outstanding, with the company surpassing 1,000,000 consecutive man-hours without a lost-time injury.

Details of the winners' achievements, as well as the achievements of all 2009 nominees, can be found on the Saxcies webpage at the Saxcies Finalists' Site.

The Saxcies Recognize Those Behind the Scenes

With the Saxcies, SafetyXChange.org has created the only international safety industry awards program that honors both individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement in occupational health and safety.

"The Saxcies aren't like other awards ceremonies," says Glenn Demby, Editor-in-Chief of SafetyXChange. "We don't bestow honors on actors, singers, athletes or any of those other figures who get their fair share of the world's attention. The men and women we honor ply their trade behind the scenes. Their names, faces and accomplishments are often unknown."

According to Demby, the safety professional is not out for recognition. "On the contrary," he stresses, "a safety professional fully understands that obscurity is the reward for a job well done. After all, if a safety director's picture appears on the news, it's almost always because something went terribly wrong."

Recognition, though, is long overdue. "The world would be a much better place if we took a moment to recognize safety professionals for their success and stopped to reflect how much that success means not only to us but the people we love," says Demby. "And that's why we created the Saxcies."

About the Award

Saxcies award recipients are presented with a replica of a helmet worn by the warriors of the Greek city-state of Corinth in approximately 500 BC. "The helmet symbolizes civic commitment and a pledge to sacrifice for the security of the community," explains Demby. "It's also a symbol of enlightenment that artists of the time displayed in their depictions of Ancient Greece's leading thinkers, including Socrates, Plato and Aristotle."

About SafetyXChange.org

SafetyXChange.org has committed itself to fostering an active, international community that promotes and shares fresh thinking and insight on workplace safety issues. Approximately 15,000 members participate in the community, receive free daily e-newsletters and access more than 1,500 articles and tools in the community's archives. Additional information about SafetyXChange.org and the Saxcies is available at SafetyXChange.org.