Saxonburg, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker visited Etzel Engineer and Build, Inc. in Butler County to recognize its managers and employees for their outstanding commitment to workplace safety and injury prevention. This award marks the latest recognition of the more than 13,000 certified workplace safety committees established in Pennsylvania since 1994, protecting over 1.6 million workers and saving employers more than $900 million in workers’ compensation premiums.
Secretary Walker presented Etzel with a 2025 Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence (GASE), recognizing the company’s strong safety culture, proactive risk management, and deep employee engagement.
“Ensuring the safety of workers is among the highest responsibilities of any employer, and it is a top priority for the Shapiro Administration,” said L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker. “Etzel demonstrates how a thoughtful, employee-centered approach to safety can reduce risk, strengthen communication, and foster a culture where every worker feels responsible for keeping themselves and their colleagues safe. Their practices set a standard that construction firms across Pennsylvania can look to as a model.”
“Safety and innovation are central to how we operate at Etzel,” said Etzel Executive Vice President Scott Gracie. “Those values guide our project teams and help build the trust that is essential on every job site. Our employees, together with our certified workplace safety committee, work collaboratively to stay ahead on modern safety equipment and best practices. This recognition reflects their commitment and the pride they take in doing the job safely every day.”
Based in Saxonburg, Etzel Engineer and Build, Inc. is a general contractor known statewide for its leadership in design-led and design-build construction. The company employs 32 workers, maintains a certified workplace safety committee, and demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous improvement, employee involvement, and owner collaboration throughout its construction projects.
Etzel’s award-winning safety culture reflects years of intentional work to embed safety into every stage of the design and construction process. The company’s leadership and certified safety committee work hand-in-hand with employees and project owners to identify risks, strengthen policies, and ensure that safety protocols are actively reinforced on-site.
Among the standout practices that earned Etzel statewide recognition are the following:
- 3D site mapping conducted for risk assessment and abatement, along with custom safety manuals created for every project;
- Methods of procedure developed with direct owner input, multiple levels of approval, and step-by-step confirmation by at least two personnel, with safety protocols verified during active work at site visits;
- Pre-job meetings with the owner present and fully engaged in the planning process;
- Regular rewards for positive safety behaviors that reinforce accountability and strengthen team morale;
- A safety code placed on every hardhat containing personal emergency information that can be accessed by any coworker or emergency responder using a cell phone; and
- Strong staff participation in the certified workplace safety committee, with an evident culture of safety recognized by the GASE Review Committee during the on-site evaluation.
Since 1997, the Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence has recognized outstanding workplace safety programs that reduce injuries, promote management and employee collaboration, and strengthen Pennsylvania’s culture of workplace safety.
L&I supports safety throughout the Commonwealth through programs such as certified workplace safety committees and the Pennsylvania Training for Health and Safety (PATHS) program. The PATHS program provides free, customizable safety training to employers, reaching more than 35,000 participants annually.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, please visit the website or follow L&I on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.
# # #