PORTLAND, Maine, June 14, 2013—At its annual meeting last week, workers' compensation insurer MEMIC presented awards for workplace safety to six of its nearly 20,000 policyholders.

At the Portland Museum of Art, Assistant Vice President for Loss Control and Safety Karl Siegfried paid tribute to the following employers for their workplace safety efforts:

• Hammond Lumber Company, Belgrade, Maine
• Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Berlin, Hew Hampshire
• Systems Engineering, Inc., Portland, Maine
• Currier Plastics Inc., Auburn, New York
• ShopRite – Drust Market LLC, Wallingford, Connecticut
• Penobscot McCrum LLC, Belfast, Maine

"Every year we look forward to this opportunity to recognize businesses that truly stand out in the crowd,” said Siegfried. “Today, we recognize six policyholders of MEMIC’s nearly 20,000. They exemplify in their own unique way how smart businesses operate by putting worker safety first.”

The awardees included:

Hammond Lumber Company, Belgrade, Maine

Since its founding 60 years ago, Hammond Lumber Company has become one of the largest and most prominent building material suppliers in Maine. From the company’s senior management to its more than 400 employees working in 12 locations across the state, Hammond Lumber demonstrates a consistent and accountability-based approach to worker safety.

Watch Hammond Lumber Company's success story

Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Berlin, New Hampshire

This 92-bed acute care hospital has undergone a remarkable transformation in its four years with MEMIC, instituting several safety programs that have reduced workers’ compensation losses by 90 percent. With enhanced training programs and the installation of new safety equipment, Androscoggin Valley Hospital has nearly eliminated injuries related to patient handling and needlesticks, making it a model for other hospitals across the region.

Watch Androscoggin Valley Hospital's success story

Systems Engineering, Inc., Portland, Maine

Systems Engineering is an information and communications technology consulting firm serving companies throughout Northern New England for more than 20 years. Susan Massey, the company’s Director of Human Resources, oversees an impressive safety program, championing workstation ergonomics and overall employee wellness.

Watch Systems Engineering's success story

Currier Plastics Inc., Auburn, New York

Based in central New York, Currier Plastics uses custom molding operations to manufacture everyday household items such as cosmetic containers and electronic connectors. Since the addition of Dustin Dreese as Safety Manager, the company has bolstered its excellent safety program and significantly reduced workplace injuries in its facilities.

Watch Currier Plastics' success story

ShopRite – Drust Market LLC, Wallingford, Connecticut

Drust Market, a true family-owned business, operates two Shop Rite grocery stores in Wallingford and Meriden, Connecticut. The Drust family – Don, Diane, and their two sons and daughters-in-law – goes out of their way to create a culture of employee appreciation, especially when it comes to safety. For instance, each employee is offered a pair of slip-resistant shoes, and every individual who uses knives has their own set of gloves. This personalized focus has helped to steadily reduce employee injury claims for the past several years.

Watch Drust Market's success story

Penobscot McCrum, LLC., Belfast, Maine

A food processing facility specializing in potato products, Penobscot McCrum LLC has drastically reduced its overall claims since ownership changed hands in 2007. The company is committed to safety culture on all fronts, with financial and moral support from senior management, safety performance goals for supervisors, and a new monthly wellness newsletter for all employees.

Watch Penobscot McCrum's success story

About MEMIC 

Specializing in workers' compensation insurance, The MEMIC Group includes of Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC), MEMIC Indemnity Company and MEMIC Casualty Company. MEMIC and MEMIC Indemnity are rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best. The MEMIC Group insures nearly 20,000 employers across the Eastern seaboard. The Group has offices in New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. The company maintains a dominant market share in Maine and has executed a careful growth strategy across the Northeast in recent years. Today, The MEMIC Group is the fifth largest underwriter of workers’ compensation business in New England and is among the fastest growing workers' comp insurers in New York. In 2013, the company expanded further with a new office in Tampa, Florida.