San Diego, CA. - The National Safety Council today announced UPS as the 2007 Green Cross for Safety Medal recipient. The Green Cross for Safety Medal cites UPS, the world's largest package delivery company and the country's third-largest employer, for its exemplary century-long commitment to workplace safety.

The selection of UPS as the 2007 recipient was announced at the National Safety Council's 94th Annual Congress & Expo opening session.

Established in 1999, the Green Cross for Safety Medal recognizes organizations and their leaders for outstanding achievements in safety and health, community service and responsible citizenship. To be considered, an organization and its leadership must demonstrate a superior record in advancing safety and health practices consistent with the mission of the National Safety Council.

"Great business leaders recognize that embracing safety and health practices to ensure the well-being of their employees is not just a moral obligation, it's also good business," said Alan C. McMillan, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. "UPS shows real commitment and leadership in protecting the safety of its employees, doing more and working harder to reduce injuries."

UPS will celebrate its 100th birthday next year and safety has been part of the company's leadership philosophy from the start. Safety guidelines were originally developed for the company's bicycle messengers and then for drivers of the Ford Model T. In 1917, as training and development programs began to take hold, drivers were given their first defensive driving handbook. Today, UPS invests more than $300 million a year in safety-related training, including 26 formal UPS safety training courses taught in more than 1,700 facilities. UPS employees receive more than 1.3 million hours of safety-related training annually.

UPS's 102,000 drivers worldwide are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 2 billion miles a year and averaging less than one accident for every million miles driven. More than 4,200 active UPS drivers have achieved membership in the company's elite Circle of Honor by steering clear of accidents for 25 years or more. Of those, 107 have gone 35 years or more without an accident, and six have gone 40 years or more. Collectively, UPS's active Circle of Honor drivers have racked up nearly 117,000 years of accident-free driving.

UPS also has tapped non-management employees to lead more than 2,400 Comprehensive Health and Safety Process (CHSP) committees nationwide. These committees are credited with helping reduce workplace injuries by 62 percent over the last five years. The committees do everything from safety training to analysis of work practices and behavior to facility and equipment audits and recommending work process and equipment changes.

"With more than 407,000 employees moving nearly 15 million packages and documents a day worldwide, safety must be an important part of every employee's daily work," says UPS Chairman and CEO Michael Eskew. "But we have made a truly concerted effort within UPS to elevate the efficiency, health and safety environment for our employees. We believe it's more critical today than ever."

The medal will be presented April 11 in Washington, D.C. at the Council's Green Cross for Safety Medal Gala. For more information about gala, contact Marilyn Tamayo, development manager, at 630-775-2332.

The National Safety Council ( www.nsc.org) is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization. Members of the NSC include businesses, labor organization, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the National Safety Council is committed to preventing accidental injuries in the workplace, on roads and highways, and in homes and communities.

National Safety Council

National Safety Council

The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization. Members of the NSC include businesses, labor organization, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the National Safety Council is committed to preventing accidental injuries in the workplace, on roads and highways, and in homes and communities.

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