Concord, N.C. (Friday, October 3, 2014) — Associates at Perdue’s operation in Concord recently celebrated a safety milestone after working one million production hours without experiencing an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable lost-time case. Counting toward the milestone, which was achieved on July 9, 2014, began on March 28, 2013.

To celebrate, the operation’s 328 associates were served pizza on their respective shifts. They also received from Perdue a commemorative T-shirt in recognition of their achievement.

“It is very important to recognize that it was our associates who made this happen,” said  Craig Pyle, Perdue director of operations. “Perdue has a strong safety program, but it takes the cooperation and commitment of all of our associates to make it work.”
The Concord operation is one of four further-processing cook plants within Perdue Foods.

According to Pyle, Perdue has a standard, companywide safety program that encourages active employee participation and input. Associates take part in various safety committees, which meet regularly to discuss safety issues, as well as perform safety inspections before the start of each shift.  Associates have the authority to stop production or prevent start-up if any unsafe condition exists.  In addition, every associate attends both general and specialized safety awareness training, and is encouraged to look for and report any potential hazard.

Perdue is a leader in workplace safety
Perdue is a leader in workplace safety among all North Carolina industries and all industries nationwide combined. According to statistics released by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, during their most recently reported year in 2012, the lost-time rate for all North Carolina industries combined was 1.6 per 100 workers.

According to those same Bureau of Labor statistics, the nationwide lost-time rate for all industries combined for that same year was 1.9 per 100 workers annually, while Perdue’s companywide rate during that year was 0.15 per 100 associates. As of Sept. 2014, Perdue’s lost-time rate was 0.19 per 100 associates.

Perdue’s companywide OSHA Total Recordable Incident Rate is 2.20 as compared to the current Poultry Industry rate of 5.80, and is also better than the General Manufacturing rate of 4.30.

About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, HARVESTLAND® and COLEMAN NATURAL® and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products. Learn more about Perdue Farms and our Corporate Responsibility Report at www.perduefarms.com.