Chanhassen, Minn. - IWCO Direct, a leading national provider of direct marketing solutions, has recently been recognized by the Envelope Manufacturers Association (EMA) and Minnesota Safety Council for excellent safety performance.

Industry Safety Leader Award
IWCO Direct was presented with a 2012 Industry Safety Leader Award on April 20 during the combined EMA Spring Meeting and Global Envelope Alliance (GEA) Global Envelope Conference in Orlando, Fla. IWCO Direct has been recognized for its commitment to safety by the association each year since 2007. EMA evaluates organizations on their safety performance based on quarterly and annual reports. Employers are required to provide information on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordables – an injury or illness sustained on the job that requires medical treatment beyond first aid – as well as lost time and light duty occurrences due to injury or illness. These surveys are then used to calculate a Lost Time Case Incident Rate, which must be at or below 1.5 days per 100 employees to qualify for the award.

Governor’s Safety Award
The Minnesota Safety Council is set to recognize IWCO Direct with a Governor’s Safety Award for superior performance in workplace safety and health as part of the 79^th Minnesota Safety & Health Conference on May 16. The annual Governor’s Safety Awards program, which has honored Minnesota employers with exceptional safety performance since 1934, judges applicants on several years of injury data as it compares with their industry’s national statistics as well as their progress in implementing a comprehensive safety program. Winners are recognized on three levels, and IWCO Direct falls into the Meritorious Achievement category: Incident rates that are better than the industry average for at least three years, and a score between 50 and 74 on a 100-point safety program evaluation scale. 

“These awards are an excellent reminder that our employees are IWCO Direct’s most important competitive advantage,” said Jim Andersen, IWCO Direct chief executive officer. “Our commitment to providing a consistently safe workplace not only translates into the well-being of our employees, but also greater efficiency for our customers.”