CLT Aviation Earns Carolina Public Sector Star Recertification

Pictured left to right: CLT Risk, Safety & Health Manager Ella Moultrie, Occupational Safety and Health Director Jennifer Haigwood, N.C. Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson, CLT CFO Michael Hill, Star Consultant Michelle Evans, CLT Chief Business & Innovation Officer Ted Kaplan, CLT CEO Haley Gentry and CLT Facilities Director Phillip Florey. 

The Aviation Department’s Facilities division received Carolina Public Sector Star recertification from the N.C. Department of Labor on Oct. 26. N.C. Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson was onsite at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to make the official announcement. The Carolina Public Sector Star program recognizes and honors local and state agencies for their leadership in occupational safety and health.

CLT is the first Airport operator in the country and first City of Charlotte department to receive the Carolina Public Sector Star designation for all divisions. The Star designation aligns with the Department’s strategic principles on safety and security.

“I’ve been to organizations both public and private sector where workplace safety is part of the culture, and I’ve been to organizations where workplace safety is the culture,” Dobson said. “What you all have here – it is the culture and that’s reflected in the award.”

Facilities first received Star certification in 2019. The Aviation Department’s other divisions also have received Star recertification.

“Since we’ve embarked on this journey, the Carolina Public Sector Star process has created a behavioral shift in safety awareness,” said CLT’s CEO Haley Gentry.

“Employees are taking ownership of safety and reporting safety concerns for us to address at higher rates. We are proud of this accomplishment because it creates a safer worksite for all our employees and a safer Airport for our passengers,” Gentry said. “We look forward to our partnership with you in years to come as we continue to put our employees’ safety first.”

Carolina Star participants are proactive and partner with the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division to prevent fatalities, injuries and illnesses through a system focused on management commitment and leadership, employee participation, hazard identification, evaluation, prevention and control, and safety and health training.

The benefits of being a Star worksite include reduced workers’ compensation costs and improved employee motivation to work safely, leading to better quality and productivity. Star participant sites generally experience from 60% to 80% fewer lost workday injuries than would be expected of a site of the same size in their industries.