Chapman Corp. receives state award for workplace safety
The Chapman Corp. received a 2024 Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence (GASE) Wednesday at a ceremony attended by Nancy A. Walker, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry secretary.
The company, located at 331 South Main St. in Washington, is one of only two employers in the state to receive the recognition. The other is the Gettysburg Foundation in Gettysburg.
“The Chapman family has never been one to boast about its accomplishments,” said Chris Cipoletti, Chapman president. “Taking care of their employees and keeping them safe is the real award at the end of the day.”
Since 1997, the competitive GASE award has recognized outstanding workplace safety programs, promoted management and employee collaborations, and encouraged the sharing of best safety practices and development of safety approaches across Pennsylvania.
Chapman Corp. is a family- and female-owned business with more than 660 employees. It has been a provider of civil, mechanical and electrical construction services for industrial clients since 1949, The company also offers pipe and metal fabrication and engineering services, supporting comprehensive project needs. The company was founded by John W. Chapman, and is now led by his daughter, Joan Chapman.
Safety initiatives that earned Chapman its GASE recognition include:
More than three million work hours with no lost-time injuries during the last four years;
DART (Days Away, Restricted or Transferred) rate of zero;
Zero Injury Award from the National Maintenance Agreement Policy Committee;
3D lift plan, which virtually simulates crane lifts before execution;
“Finish Strong Program” to combat complacency as projects near completion;
Sharing best practices and safety issues across all worksites.
“It’s truly an honor that we received the Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence amongst a lot of our peers,” said Josh Sullivan, Chapman’s director of safety. “We don’t want to stop here. We want to continue to strive to get better and ultimately get our employees home to their families each and every day. We want every one of our employees from our boots-on-the-ground guys up through our management level team to think they’re part of our family and we want to make sure their voices are heard, and we’re honoring them when we have these special occasions as well.”
Walker said the notion of family that Chapman strives to maintain stood out to her.
“One of the challenges in getting a culture of safety is that there’s often a divide between employees and management,” she said. “I think employees don’t often feel the power to speak up. A place where everybody is part of the same collective good is so important. That’s what’s so striking here is their safety excellence is because everybody speaks with each other and listens to each other and they’re responsive. What they’ve accomplished is absolutely incredible. It really is a benchmark for us as we go out across the state.”
Gerald Mullery, deputy secretary compensation and insurance, agreed that the family atmosphere separates Chapman from other employers who applied for the award.
“It wasn’t just a buzzword or a slogan,” he said. “Chapman’s safety success is a direct reflection of this family-first mentality. It’s not just about having excellent safety protocols in place; it’s about creating an environment where everyone – from leadership to labor – feels personally invested in each other’s well-being.”
Walker said that as she and her team talk to companies across Pennsylvania about improving their safety records, Chapman Corp. is an example they use.
“You show here what is possible,” she said. “We look to companies like yours to say it can be done. It can be done when there is an absolute commitment to safety at work. I know this isn’t the last time we’ll be back here. I’m confident you’re going to continue to win awards and keep the workplace safe.”