05/05/2026
Central Florida Companies Earn Top Honors for Workplace Safety Excellence
ORLANDO, FL – Leading employers from across Central Florida and throughout the state were recognized for exceptional workplace safety performance at the Florida Safety Council’s 73rd Annual Awards Ceremony, held at Shades of Green Resort at Walt Disney World.
The annual event honors organizations and individuals demonstrating a strong commitment to protecting employees, reducing workplace injuries, and advancing safety culture.
Top honors for Outstanding Lost Time Prevention (three or more years without a lost-time injury) were awarded to Woodard & Curran (Gold), Sauer Mechanical (Silver), and Vecenergy (Bronze). Additional companies recognized for one or more years without lost-time injuries included Harris McBurney Co., Ivey’s Construction, Mercury Marine, Mitsubishi Power Americas, and Nautique Boat Company.
Walt Disney World Resorts’ Regulatory & DOT Compliance Department received the Excellence in Transportation Safety Award, while RUSH Construction earned the Vehicle Fleet Safety Gold Award, followed by Vecenergy (Silver) and Sauer Mechanical (Bronze).
In the Corporate Safety Achievement Awards, top performers included:
• Level I: Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Engineering Building Services (Gold)
• Level II: Mitsubishi Power Americas (Gold)
• Level III: Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Liberty Square Foods (Gold)
Individual honors highlighted leaders making a direct impact on workplace safety. Cory Scott of Shades of Green Resort received the COSS Excellence in Safety Award, while Safety Leadership Awards were presented to Clinton Goldwater, Lucas Westbrook, and Tania Resto across three organizational levels.
“The selection process is always challenging because so many organizations are performing at such a high level,” said Executive Director Chris Earl. “What stands out is the shared commitment to keeping employees and communities safe.”
The Council also introduced its inaugural Safety Legacy Award, presented to Heather Earl, Senior Manager, Safety Services, Walt Disney World. Earl is a Certified Safety Professional with more than 30 years of experience and a recognized leader in building strong safety cultures.
The Sara Griffin Hughes Founders Award was presented to Bonnie Frank for her long-standing dedication to safety education, including driver training and community outreach programs.
The event was emceed by veteran journalist Keith Landry (Spectrum News 13), with keynote remarks delivered by Osceola County Sheriff Christopher A. Blackmon, a 35-year public safety professional and community advocate.
Since 1953, the Florida Safety Council has provided safety training, education, and awareness programs to help organizations reduce risk and protect their workforce.
Sponsors supporting the non-profit safety council include:
- AdventHealth Centra Care
- Brown & Brown Ins.
- DEMACO
- Enterprise Fleet Management
- FastSigns – Downtown Orlando
- Judicial Innovations
- McGriff Insurance
- Mitsubishi Power Americas
- One Florida Bank
- Orange County Sheriff's Office
- SCRAM Systems
- Sissine's Business Solutions
Photos from the event are available at :
https://pimevent.pixieset.com/floridasafetycouncilawardsgala2026/
For more information, contact Heidi Jordan at [email protected]
