Chesapeake Utilities Corporation announced that its subsidiary, Florida Public Utilities Company (FPU), has earned a Safety Achievement Award from the American Gas Association (AGA) for excellence in employee safety. The selection was based on criteria that included professional and personal commitment and dedication to improving the operations and engineering sectors of the natural gas industry through safety, accident prevention, and research. The awards for 2016 were presented at the AGA's Operations Conference in Orlando, Florida.

"Safety is our top priority and we are committed to promoting a positive safety culture throughout our Company," said Michael P. McMasters, president and chief executive officer of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation. "I'm extremely proud to see our Florida team recognized for maintaining the very highest standards of safety for our workplace, our customers and our communities."

With a long history of providing safe and reliable services, FPU distributes natural gas to approximately 74,000 residential and commercial customers and propane to 16,000 customers across Florida. FPU also earned a 2015 AGA Safety Achievement Award for excellence in employee safety. The AGA's Safety Achievement Award for excellence in employee safety is given to member companies that experienced the lowest DART (Days Away, Restricted and Transferred) incident rate — a mathematical calculation that describes the number of recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time employees that resulted in days away from work or restricted work activity.

"Safety is at the core of the service natural gas utilities provide," said Dave McCurdy, president and chief executive officer of the AGA. "The men and women who operate America's natural gas delivery systems play a critical role in safely delivering this clean energy source to the more than 69 million customers who rely on it each day. We have always stood for these values and an unending commitment to service."

"AGA's recognition of our commitment to safety is a great testament to the work done by our employees every day," said Jeffry M. Householder, president of FPU. "We will continue to implement best practices within the industry in order to maintain safe environments for our employees and customers."