The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation's (BWC's) Division of Safety & Hygiene and the Pickaway County Chamber of Commerce co-sponsor the Pickaway County Safety Council. The goals of the Safety Council are to increase workplace safety awareness and promote a greater interest in the prevention of occupational accidents and disease. The Safety Council provides our community with quality programs addressing occupational safety and health, workers' compensation and risk management education and information.

In addition to the education benefits of membership, participants can actively network with other safety professionals, participate in community safety promotions, and if the company is state funded, can receive a 4% premium discount for the program year beginning July 1, 2005. To receive the 4% premium discount, member companies must attend at least 8 meetings, have a CEO Representative at the annual CEO event and complete both semi-annual reports by the due dates of July 15th and January 15th.

The Pickaway County Safety Council meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. The meeting time is 11:30 - 1:00. Meeting locations can change, however, the majority of the meetings are held at the Circleville Fire Department. The annual dues are $25.00 for Chamber members and $75.00 for nonmembers which includes the lunch cost for the meetings.

Member companies are divided into groups according to business classifications, hazards of operation and/or the number of employee hours worked. The Safety Council has an annual awards banquet which is held in March of each year. Awards are presented to member businesses from the BWC's Division of Safety and Hygiene in the following categories: Group Award - to the company with the lowest incident rate in each group; 100% Award - to each company that works the entire year without an injury or illness resulting in a day away from work; Achievement Award - to each company that decreases its incident rate by at least 25% from the previous year; Special Award - to each company that accumulates at least 500,000 hours and at least six months without an injury or illness resulting in a day away from work. Awards are presented to member companies based on the Semi-annual reports which are due July 15th and January 15th.

The Pickaway County Safety Council also conducts and/or supports many other community, business and industry safety, health and environmental programs.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Safety Council, please contact the Chamber of Commerce at
740-474-4923. Enrollment Form