Baxter Labs Corp. in Alliston has been honoured for its safety initiatives by an Ontario safety organization.

The Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA) gave the Alliston factory a Level III Health and Safety Achievement Award on Aug. 21.

Baxter was awarded the level because of its integrated safety plan and commitment to ensuring worker wellbeing, said IAPA president Maureen Shaw.

“It’s not just rules and regulations to put on a shelf, or up on a wall and tell people to look at. It’s about creating a culture, and leadership is responsible for that,” she told the company’s health and safety committee at the award presentation.

Along with initiatives to ensure worker safety on the job, the company has developed a program to encourage employees to live healthier lives.

Baxter Labs is one of 15 companies in the province to have the designation.

Baxter director of manufacturing John Eley said the company tries to incorporate health and safety into its long-term planning, and instill the importance of it into its employees.

Eley credits the company’s health and safety team for the work it has done.

“We’re required to have a health and safety committee,” he said.

“What we’re not required to have is a group that is as passionate as this one.”