Safety Awards Presented to South Jersey Municipalities
Woodbury, NJ, 26 Feb. 2009 - Officials from thirty-three Gloucester,
Cumberland, and Salem county municipalities received awards at the eighteenth
annual Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland Counties Municipal Joint Insurance Fund
(TRICOJIF) Safety Kickoff Breakfast on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at
Nicolosi’s Catering in Woodbury, NJ. The awards recognize safety measures
taken by the municipalities, which save taxpayers thousands of dollars each year
through reduced claims payments.
The
Safety
Kickoff
Breakfast
celebrated
2008
JIF
member
safety
accomplishments and launched the 2009 Safety Incentive Program. The
TRICOJIF Safety Incentive Program focuses on lowering the risks associated
with municipal operations—primarily in preventing accidents causing injury to
municipal employees or members of the public. More importantly, municipal
employees reap the benefits of a safer work environment.
The Safety Incentive Program rewards each member municipality based upon
their support and dedication to promoting employee awareness of the JIF safety
policies, establishing safety criteria such as holding regular safety committee
meetings, completing monthly safety inspection check lists, attending safety
training seminars, completing thorough accident investigations, and viewing
safety training videos with employees.
The response to the breakfast was overwhelmingly positive, according to JIF
Executive Director Paul Miola. “All of the JIF program participants walked away
as winners this year because they are taking active steps to prevent workplace
injuries and save tax dollars in the process”, Miola said.
The JIF created the Qualifier, Bronze, Silver, and Gold award categories within
the five size categories (Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large) of the
member municipalities. Members qualify by meeting at least 75% of the JIF safety
criteria and receive corresponding monetary awards for their level of participation
and size. Individual exemplary municipal employees receive rewards as well. The
awards are to be used for the purchase of safety equipment, safety training, or for
the recognition of employee safety efforts.
The members receiving awards this year were:
Basic Qualifiers who achieved 75% of JIF Safety Criteria:
Fairfield-- $1,750
East Greenwich-- $2,250
South Harrison-- $1,350
Shiloh-- $1,350
Woodbury Heights-- $2,250
Pennsville-- $2,750
Bronze Award Winners who achieved 85% of JIF Safety Criteria:
Monroe-- $3,575
Clayton-- $2,475
Deptford-- $3,575
Westville-- $2,475
Glassboro-- $3,575
Mantua-- $3,025
Swedesboro-- $1,925
Carney’s Point-- $2,475
Quinton-- $1,485
Silver Award Winners who achieved 90% of JIF Safety Criteria:
Greenwich-- $3,300
Paulsboro-- $3,300
Upper Pittsgrove-- $1,620
Washington Township-- $3,900
Penns Grove-- $2,700
Woolwich-- $2,100
Logan-- $2,700
Pilesgrove-- $1,620
Harrison-- $2,700
Gold Award Winners for achieving 95% of JIF Safety Criteria:
Alloway-- $1,755
Franklin-- $3,575
Woodbury City-- $3,575
Wenonah-- $2,275 (met 100% of criteria)
Elk Township-- $2,275
Oldmans-- $1,755 (met 100% of criteria)
Pittsgrove-- $2,952
Each qualifying member receives a plaque to commemorate their achievement
and to recognize the efforts of their employees in attaining these results. In
following years, an inscribed plate is added to the plaque designating their level of
achievement of Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
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Special Recognition Awards:
The Crossing Guards from the Borough of Clayton were honored with a Special
Recognition Award for taking initiative above and beyond their everyday task of
crossing schoolchildren safely.
The Safety Committee and Sports Advisory Board of Washington Township were
recognized for taking on the task of fingerprinting over 600 sports volunteers,
obtaining background checks and issuing photo ID's.
Honorable mention for the special recognition awards went to Tim and Ed Leahy,
Safety Coordinators from the Borough of Westville, for being safety program
champions; to the Safety Committee of Washington Township for building security
procedures and the photo identification system, and for the great attendance at the
healthy lifestyle picnic that they hosted; and to Lieutenant Thomas Nealy from the
Township of Woolwich, for taking the lead with Police Department Tool Box
meetings and Job Site Observations.
Representatives from member municipalities were also recognized for completing
the requirements for the Advanced Safety Leadership Program. Those who
qualified were Michael Storms from Deptford Township, Frank McLaughlin from
Monroe Township, and Robert Avis from Monroe Township.
Members also received certificates of recognition for their efforts in numerous
safety categories including:
 Beat The Three-Year Average JIF Loss Ratio of 90.8%:
Westville
86.4% South Harrison
53.7%
Paulsboro
82.8% Greenwich
48.5%
Monroe
73.9% Logan
41.8%
Harrison
73.4% Fairfield
38.2%
Woolwich
71.9% Pittsgrove
25.5%
Clayton
70.3% Woodstown
18.0%
Washington Twp.
61.1% Shiloh
1.9%
Pitman
56.0% Oldmans
1.3%
 Zero “Lost Time” Workers Compensation Accidents: Fairfield,
Harrison, Logan, Oldmans, Pilesgrove, Pitman, Pittsgrove, Quinton,
Shiloh, South Harrison, Upper Pittsgrove, Woodbury Heights, and
Woodstown.
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 Significant Reduction In Lost Time Accident Rates (a measure of
employees in the township who experience an workplace injury resulting
in time out of work greater than seven days): Mantua from 4.68 in 2007 to
.62 in 2008; Penns Grove from 5.97 in 2007 to 1.49 in 2008; and Deptford
from 6.88 in 2007 to 2.29 in 2008.
 Best Claims Reporting (less than 3 days to report a claim): Alloway,
Carney’s Point, Clayton, Elk, Fairfield, Paulsboro, Swedesboro, Wenonah,
Westville, Woodbury, and Woolwich.
 Modified Duty (a
light duty capacity
measure of when employees can return to work in a
until
they are
capable
of
assuming full
duty
assignments)

100 percent of Available Modified Duty Days Used: Carney’s
Point,
Greenwich,
Harrison,
Logan,
Paulsboro,
Pitman,
Pittsgrove, and Woodbury Heights.
During 18 years of operation, municipalities participating in the TRICO JIF have
saved millions of dollars in premiums and have received surplus distributions of
$7,013,684. “These surplus distributions would have been additional insurance
company profits, instead they are local taxpayer’s savings,” explained John
Salvatore, Borough of Paulsboro Administrator and Chairperson of the TRICO
JIF.
Currently, the TRICO JIF is 34 members strong with an unparalleled record of
financial success, member services, and coverage stability. Over 370
municipalities in New Jersey are members of a Joint Insurance Fund (JIF). “We
have proven that municipalities can effectively pool their resources and save
money while not cutting necessary services,” explained Carol Rieck, Harrison
Administrator, and Chairperson of the TRICO JIF Strategic Planning Committee.
Joint Insurance Funds allow New Jersey municipalities to collectively pool money
for insurance coverage. The JIF manages its expenses while using extensive
loss prevention and claims management programs to reduce amounts paid out
for accidents and injuries. The result is lower insurance costs and return of
100% of the JIF profits. TRICOJIF members received $400,000 in dividends last
year and have collected surplus distributions of $7,013,684 since inception.
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For the TRICOJIF please contact:
Jaclynne Parsons
Marketing Sales Representative
Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc., Marlton, NJ
(856) 446-9141
jaclynne_parsons@ajg.com
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