HAMLET — North Carolina Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry took office 10 years after the fire at Imperial Foods in Hamlet, but that gap has not distanced her from the responsibilities of enforcing labor safety reforms made in the tragedy’s wake.
“The tragic fire at Imperial Foods in Hamlet in 1991 led to major reform in 1992 by the N.C. General Assembly,” Berry said in an email to the Daily Journal. “The reform included an expansion of the number of OSH compliance officers, enforcement focus on high-risk industries and the authorization of fines to be levied against governmental entities for noncompliance.”
Berry said the fire sparked an intense interest by state and local officials in certain industrial markers that can successfully illustrate improvements made in workplace safety and compliance.
“After the Imperial Foods tragedy, North Carolina’s injury and illness rate for private industry stood at an all-time high of 8.6 per 100 full-time workers in 1992,” she said. “I mention the injury and illness rate because it is the best tool we have to measure our state’s performance in terms of workplace safety and health. The injury and illness rate is produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”
Berry is able to demonstrate statistical evidence that conditions have improved even further during her tenure.
“In 2000, the year before I took office as labor commissioner for my first elected term, the injury and illness rate stood at 5.3 per 100 full-time workers,” Berry said. “The rate had declined between 1992 and 2000, but was still high. During my administration, from January 2001 to present, the rate has continued to decline and now rests at a historic low 2.7 per 100 full-time workers.”
The reason for the decline in injuries and illnesses in the private sector, Berry said, is the product of gradual partnerships and incentives initiated by the state labor department and the high participation rates of employers.
“Much of North Carolina’s success in the injury and illness rate decline is attributed to the many employers and employees who have proactively partnered with the N.C. Department of Labor through our recognition programs, partnerships and alliances,” Berry said. “These programs are helping create a safety culture from the mountains to the coast because they engage workers at all levels, from management to the frontline workers.”
Reach reporter Melonie McLaurin at 910-817-2673 and follow her on Twitter @melonieflomer.
