The town of Scarborough has earned the Safety & Health Award for Public Employees, or SHAPE, from the Maine Department of Labor for being a model for workplace health and safety, according to Jaclyn Mandrake, the town’s human resources director.

The presentation of the award was held at the Jan. 7 Town Council meeting. Scarborough is only the sixth community in the state to be SHAPE-certified in all municipal departments, Mandrake said.

“Keeping our employees safe is our highest priority,” she said. “The town of Scarborough safety committees have voluntarily implemented programs and policies to reduce exposures and create a safer workplace for employees.”

In addition to a safe and healthy working environment, improved safety means less lost time due to injury and illness as well as lower workers’ compensation costs, according to Mandrake.

She said that due to the town’s employee safety efforts, the Maine Municipal Association Risk Management Services program applied a 7.5 percent credit of $31,313 to the town’s workers’ compensation fund in 2014.

“This is a $13,327 increase,” Mandrake said. “Additionally, the town received a dividend of $29,424 in 2014, an increase from the (amount) awarded in 2013. The total value of the benefits received has increased from $52,325 in 2013 to $64,770 in 2014.”

Mandrake said the town owes its SHAPE designation to a number of employees who were instrumental in attaining state certification for being a safe place to work.

Those integral to the process were Dickie Collins, deputy director at public works; Glen Deering, deputy fire chief; David Grover, deputy police chief; Ken Kennedy, Town Hall technician; Colette Mathieson, executive assistant to the town manager; Jay Nason, vehicle maintenance supervisor at public works; Carrie Noyes, human resources coordinator; George Oliver, fire department captain; Stephen Quirk, facilities manager; and Julie Sanford, administrative coordinator for the fire department, according to Mandrake.

“In these achievements, the town (also) partnered with Michael LaPlante, program manager at the Maine Department of Labor, and Lance Lemieux, loss control consultant with the Maine Municipal Association Risk Management Services,” she added.

– Kate Irish Collins