Workers recognized for safety
Employees of the U.S. post office in Butler got a buffet breakfast this morning to celebrate going nine months without an accident or injury on the job.
That feat was called “unheard of” by a postal system official, who also joined in for pancakes.
“We go through all different kinds of environments,” said Joe Scherder, operations manager for the Western Pennsylvania district. “We had a pretty nasty winter (last year) and those guys didn't scratch a truck.”
Scherder said such a long stretch without accident or injury at an office as big as Butler's, which has 75 employees and includes walking routes that stretch for six or seven miles, is “absolutely unheard of.”
“I would like to celebrate some of my other offices going a full week,” Scherder said.
The office, which delivers mail throughout Butler County and into Kittanning on Sundays, fields 44 postal vehicles on a daily basis and covers 32 city mail routes and 15 to 16 rural routes, said postmaster Irene Eldridge.
Eldridge, who was honored for 31 years on the job without an accident, said the office's focus on safety protocols was behind the accident-free nine months.
“These folks are committed to being safe,” she said. “I don't know any other way to explain it.”
The service also honored 22 employees at the office for reaching milestones in accident-free careers with the postal service.
Other workers who were honored for their length of time on the job without injury or accident were Sharon Hilliard with 28 years and Celeste Phillips with 29 years.
