Date:  Thursday, June 09, 2011

Contact: Marta Coursey, WSF Director of Communications, 206-515-3918

SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries (WSF) is launching a program to recognize the hard work and care that goes into keeping passengers and crew members safe each day. Teams of ferry employees who achieve the goal of having no injuries in a three-month period will fly a green and white WSF safety pennant at their worksite. This week also marks the 60th anniversary of the ferry system and commemorates decades of proud and distinguished service.

Operating the largest ferry system in the United States for six decades with an unparalleled safety record is no small feat. The system takes more than 22 million passengers on more than 150,000 sailings per year.

“We in the safety office worked with our employee safety committee to bring this idea to management, and they were a hundred percent on board with it,” said Safety Systems Manager Darnell Baldinelli. “Our employees do a consistently stellar job of not only providing safe service to our customers but also staying safe themselves. We thought it was really important to have a way to recognize and reward that.”

In the first quarter of 2011, eight out of 21 vessels and 13 out of 17 land facilities (terminals, warehouse and maintenance facility) will receive the quarterly safety pennant honor. If a worksite is injury-free for an entire year, they will get a plaque.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/ for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 511.

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