NEENAH, WI — J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., a leading national provider of risk and regulatory management solutions, has named Nick Dalis, of Joseph J. Albanese, Inc. in Santa Clara, California, as the 2009 KellerOnline® Safety Professional of the Year (SPOTY). The SPOTY award is sponsored by KellerOnline®, the most widely used safety management tool on the web.

Dalis serves as the Director of Safety for Joseph J. Albanese, Inc., which is a full service, self-performing concrete contractor specializing in all aspects of site construction-including structural concrete, site concrete, masonry block work, shotcrete, grading/paving, demolition, sawcutting/coring, iron workers, trucking and concrete pumping. When he took over as the Safety Director in 2001 the recordable injury rate at his company was 24.4. Through the efforts of himself, his growing team of field safety coordinators and a top down buy in to safety from the top executive to the laborer in the field, the company’s recordable injury rate was reduced to 4.1 in 2009. In addition, the company’s “ex-mod” rate decreased from 1.44 in 2005 to 0.83 in 2009 and their lost time accident rate went from 10.01 in 2003 to 0.41 in 2009. All of this occurred while increasing man hours worked from 861,848 in 2004 to 1,561,224 in 2008.

J.J. Albanese is signatory to seven different unions, which can prove to be a struggle for any organization to manage. Communication, training and accountability have been keys to the company’s success in safety. In-depth and hands on safety training for both new and existing employees ensures each employee’s awareness of the safety philosophy of the company. The “three strikes, you’re out” accountability system for safety violations alerts the Safety Department when more safety training is needed. The family-owned and operated business has an executive management team that truly believes in their safety culture, allowing Dalis to more effectively do his job.

Dalis will receive a $2,500 cash award during a ceremony planned in Neenah, Wisconsin, along with a plaque, certificate, and multiple one-year subscriptions to KellerOnline for himself and others in his organization.

Nicole Stengle, an EHS Engineer with 3M’s Western Distribution Center in Ontario, California, was awarded second place. Working in a manufacturing environment that doesn’t allow for process modification to produce more of their product, her challenge has been convincing the operation’s 150 employees that each activity must be done in the safest manner. She has taken a hands-on, face-to-face approach to safety in order to drive employee engagement. Her efforts have resulted in decreased recordable and lost time incidents, reduced monthly workers’ compensation insurance costs in excess of $11,000, and employees actively engaging in the awareness of safety in the workplace.

Stengle will receive a $500 cash award, a plaque, certificate, and a one-year subscription to KellerOnline.

Ken Vandenberghe, Corporate Health and Safety Director with Rea Magnet Wire Corporation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was awarded third place. He has implemented several substantial programs within his organization and continually sets goals for improvement on an annual basis to further benefit his company and its employees. He will also receive a plaque, certificate, and one-year subscription to KellerOnline, along with a $50 cash award.

“This year’s winners have demonstrated the impact that a well-implemented safety program can have on their organizations’ bottom line,” said Rustin Keller, Corporate Internet Products Manager for J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. “KellerOnline is proud to support these and all dedicated safety professionals in the most important job – safety.”

About KellerOnline®
KellerOnline® (KOL) is the most widely used safety management tool on the web. More than 19,000 safety professionals rely on KOL to manage their safety programs. KOL integrates a safety management process with reference materials, tools, and applications in order to help users reduce accident rates, decrease injuries, and lower workers' compensation costs. To learn more about KellerOnline®, visit www.koldemo.com or www.kelleronline.com.

About J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.®
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.® was established in 1953 and has become the nation’s most respected name in risk and regulatory management. The company employs over 1,100 associates and serves over 300,000 customers including more than 90% of the Fortune® 1,000. Keller’s diverse product line includes publications, consulting, online services, and outsourced services. For more information, visit www.jjkeller.com.