The National Safety Council has named Amazon, Emergent BioSolutions, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services and Puget Sound Energy as recipients of its 2025 Green Cross for Safety awards. Presented at the 26th annual Green Cross Celebration sponsored by U.S. Steel, these honors recognize leadership in safety advocacy, excellence and innovation amid pressing public health and operational challenges. The event also raised over $788,000 to support workplace safety and health initiatives.
Corporate Leaders Advance Naloxone Access in Opioid Fight
Amazon and Emergent BioSolutions earned Safety Advocate awards, sponsored by First Student, for equipping workplaces with naloxone to combat the opioid crisis. Amazon leads by stocking more than 1,200 North American facilities with the overdose-reversal drug by the end of 2025 and training all 36,000 first aid, AED and CPR-certified employees there. The company advocated for broader adoption through White House appearances, NSC Safety Congress panels and Wall Street Journal coverage.
Emergent BioSolutions complemented this effort after NARCAN Nasal Spray gained over-the-counter status in 2024. The firm installed over 40 opioid emergency wall units in its offices, distributed 1,300 cartons to employees and launched the Ready to Rescue campaign, providing 2,700 kits to college campuses and public venues. These actions aim to normalize naloxone alongside everyday first aid tools like AEDs in job sites, stores, airlines and hotels, addressing gaps where accidental exposures occur.
Such initiatives respond to calls from health officials for employers to prepare for opioid emergencies, potentially saving lives in settings without immediate medical access. They highlight a shift toward proactive corporate responsibility in public health, where businesses integrate reversal agents into standard protocols.
New York City Pioneers Municipal Fleet Safety Overhaul
The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services received the Safety Excellence award, sponsored by Amazon, for managing the nation's largest municipal fleet of over 28,500 vehicles plus 10,000 contracted school buses. Since adopting the Safe Fleet Transition Plan in 2017—aligned with NYC's pioneering 2014 Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic deaths—DCAS has implemented over 100,000 safety upgrades. Developed with the US DOT Volpe Center and updated in 2019 and 2025, the plan enforces technologies to prevent crashes.
Key measures include the country's largest rollout of active Intelligent Speed Assistance, which caps vehicle speeds at limits or agency-set thresholds, and the first citywide mandate for truck sideguards to reduce side-impact fatalities. Additional features address truck blind spots and deploy telematics for real-time monitoring. These steps demonstrate how policy-driven fleet management can cut risks in dense urban environments, influencing other cities pursuing zero-fatality goals.
Wind Energy Firm Deploys Cameras to Prevent Electrical Hazards
Puget Sound Energy won the Safety Innovation award, sponsored by Centuri, for installing SYTIS TC-90 infrared cameras in wind turbine nacelles and field equipment. Miniaturized cameras with anomaly-detection software send email alerts, allowing remote diagnosis of electrical issues without technician exposure to live panels or hazardous tower climbs.
Initially targeting nacelle enclosures, the system spots heat anomalies early, averting fires and arc blasts. Expanded to converter diagnostics, it supports a transition from scheduled to condition-based maintenance, minimizing risks for thermographers and crews. This approach addresses longstanding challenges in renewable energy, where high-voltage access poses arc flash and fall dangers, and sets a model for safer operations across wind farms.
Broad Impact on Safety Standards
NSC CEO Lorraine Martin emphasized the winners' role in protecting workplaces and communities. "NSC is honored to recognize these organizations for their leadership, innovation and dedication to safety," she said. "The impact of their work is far-reaching—protecting our workplaces and communities today and shaping a safer tomorrow." The awards underscore trends in safety evolution: from health preparedness against epidemics like opioids, to technology-integrated urban transport and predictive maintenance in renewables. Nine finalists underwent rigorous review, elevating standards for all.
