Awards
Larry Stone Honored with Inaugural Safety in Motion Award
The Waste Industry’s first Safety in Motion is presented to Rumpke’s Director of Corporate Safety.
Larry Stone, Rumpke Director of Corporate Safety, was presented with the inaugural Safety in Motion award in a surprise ceremony at the Rumpke corporate offices on March 1, 2012. The Safety in Motion Award was created by Preco Electronics as a way of recognizing the safety individuals who keep safety moving forward through initiative, involvement, and imagination within their company, community and industry. The Safety in Motion Award will honor one person each year who is the voice of safety in their industry. The key characteristics when choosing the winner are Initiative, Imagination, and Involvement. Every year Preco will invite others in the industry to nominate candidates for consideration.
Choosing a winner in an industry with so many professionals that dedicate their lives to safety was no easy task, especially since the inaugural award winner was selected from unofficial nominees. “We actively went out to trade shows, WASTEC/NSWMA meetings, and spoke with the safety people in the industry to determine who should be considered for the first award”, according to Teresa Prisbrey, Marketing Director at Preco Electronics, “Larry Stone’s name kept coming up as an expert.”
“In choosing the inaugural winner of this award, we looked for an individual whose entire career encompassed a dedication to safety. This made Larry the obvious choice for the Preco selection team,” stated Dave Anderson, National Sales Manager at Preco Electronics.
An Active Safety Proponent
All one needs to do is look at Stone’s resume to see his commitment to safety. Before becoming an active safety proponent in the waste and recycling industry, Stone worked as both a police officer and fire fighter EMT. These two noble professions are dedicated to the safety of the communities they serve. He is still an active fire fighter today at the Hanover Township Fire Department. Just in the past few years, he has encompassed all the areas of safety this award was meant to honor: initiative, involvement and imagination.
Stone takes initiative. When he sees a problem, he creates solutions. For example, he has a commitment to developing and promoting a program to reduce accidents involving drivers struck by passenger vehicles. These incidents are on the rise—industry reports saying it is second only to reversing accidents as the most common accident in the Waste Industry. Stone has taken it upon himself to approach manufacturing companies to discuss the issue, assist with determining key product functions and provide the valuable testing when available.
Additionally, as Rumpke’s safety director, Stone created the Slow Down to Get Around campaign to encourage motorists to slow down and use caution when navigating around service vehicles in roadways. This program was created after two company employees were struck by cars within a single week. This campaign has since been embraced by WASTEC and SWANA, with brochures, a Web site, advertisements and other activities to extend the reach of this crucial community outreach message. The National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOSH) included a draft of the Slow Down to Get Around program in their evaluation of struck-by accidents.
The imagination Stone brings to solving safety issues is evident in the Students Against Crashes (SAC) program he created in 2004 when two students were killed in an automotive accident. The program is dedicated to helping students reduce accidents by teaching safe driving skills and giving seminars on the importance of safe choices, especially during prom nights, when accidents for students are more prominent.
Stone’s involvement in the Waste Industry and community is well known. He is an active member of WASTEC and NSWMA, serving on ANSI committees, attending safety meetings, and providing valuable input to future safety regulations. It isn’t surprising to see Stone quoted in many industry publications, as journalists often seek him out to provide an expert opinion for their safety articles. There are many other accomplishments Stone has achieved in his quest to move safety forward. He continues to set an exceptional example for safety professionals through his involvement and dedication to his field.
Upon receiving the award surrounded by coworkers, Stone was clearly touched. “To be recognized in this peer group, with so many great people, is humbling”, declared Stone as he received his award. Coworkers at Rumpke were not surprised to learn Stone received the inaugural award. “Larry has always focused much of his time, energy and creativity on delivering safety messages to the industry and the public. His efforts have earned him a well deserved, distinguished place among safety professionals,” said Bill Rumpke Jr. chief operating officer at Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. “Rumpke will always be a proud supporter of efforts to reduce injuries and accidents and ensure the safety of our team and the communities we service.”
Peter Evans, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Preco, stated “We are excited about this award, and look forward to recognizing the many professionals who dedicate their time to keeping people safe.”
For more information, contact Teresa Prisbrey at (208) 323-7114 or e-mail [email protected].