KHI News Service
TOPEKA, April 6 Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was on hand Friday to present St. Francis Health Center with a “K-Safe” award for logging 3 million work hours without a lost-time accident.
“This is an amazing achievement,” Sebelius said during a ceremony attended by dozens of hospital employees. “And what I know is it doesn”t happen by accident.”
To put the accomplishment in perspective, the governor said her staff calculated that it would take an individual 342 years to work 3 million hours.
Kansas Labor Secretary Jim Garner said the award was created last year to recognize Kansas employers that had “shown through their actions that safety was a priority.”
Garner said St. Francis was only the third Kansas employer to meet or surpass the 1-million hour milestone, joining manufacturing facilities in Baxter Springs and Winfield. He said 14 Kansas businesses had been recognized for accumulating 100,000 work hours without a lost-time accident and four had reached the 500,000 hour level.
Michael Schrader, St. Francis” president and chief executive officer, accepted the award on behalf of the hospital.