Montana Commissioner of Labor and Industry Pam Bucy honored Missoula’s Mountain Water Company with the WorkSafeMT Governor’s Safety Achievement Award this week at a Montana Chamber of Commerce banquet in Helena. 

Mountain Water's Chief Legal Officer Ross Miller said the award highlights the company's culture of safety.

"Our overall culture of safety has resulted in a safety rating that's quite a bit better than our industry standard," Miller said. "That's a rating that's conducted by insurance companies to establish insurance rates. We do have a lot of exposure to possible injuries with our excavations and so much being buried underground that involves underground construction. Boiled into all that is also a culture of safety in our offices, as well."

Miller said Mountain Water is a safe place to work, something the employees value.

"The award means that Mountain Water has fostered a very strong safety culture," he said. "Employees have very much bought into our culture that workers have a right to a safe workplace, and look forward to returning home safely every night."

The 39-employee company that serves 72,000 residents of Missoula, has not had a lost-time injury since 2008. Monday’s ceremony marked the fifth time that Mountain Water received the WorkSafeMT Governor’s Safety Achievement Award.

Mountain Water is currently taking part in a contentious court battle over its ownership.

 

More From KMMS-KPRK 1450 AM