The Kirkland-based Evergreen Safety Council (ESC) has recognized Continental Mills, Inc. as the 2015 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award. The award will be presented to Continental Mills on June 24.

“We are very proud of the recognition we have received from the Evergreen Safety Council for promoting a culture of safety in the workplace,” said Continental Mills CEO John Heily. “This recognition truly belongs to the 800 Continental Mills employees that make a safe workplace environment a reality. We will continue to invest, collaborate, train, and listen to our workforce, and strive to achieve our preferred future which is having an accident free environment.”

The annual John D. Spellman Safety Award was created in 2006 to recognize ESC member organizations and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding safety achievements or have shown they are actively pursuing and reinforcing a positive safety culture in their workplace. The award also recognizes one of Washington’s great public servants, Governor John D. Spellman. King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor, Governor Spellman has also been a member of ESC’s Board of Directors for more than 35 years. He served as President/Executive Director during ESC’s critical restructuring in 1989 and has served as Chairman of the Board since 1998.

Continental Mills, a manufacturer of premium dry-mix baked goods led by their Krusteaz® brand pancake, muffin, and cookie mixes, as well as their Ghirardelli® brownie mix, operates four manufacturing and distribution centers with corporate offices in Tukwila, Wash.

Continental Mills, Inc was chosen for the award because over the past eight years they achieved an 87 percent reduction in injury incident rates. Though they started with an incident rate that was already well below the national average, further decreases since 2014 have moved them to a “Best in Class” ranking in their industry.