Honoring service in workplace safety

Robin Elliott, AS ’84M, director of Occupational Health and Safety at the University, has been awarded the Distinguished Service to Safety Award by the National Safety Council (NSC).

The award, which is the highest honor bestowed on an individual safety professional by the council, recognizes outstanding service to the field.

“Some of the most innovative advances in safety and health are the result of individual ingenuity and initiative,” says Alan McMillan, president and CEO of the council. “The Distinguished Service to Safety Award, which symbolizes and recognizes individual innovation and service in the field of safety, is among the ways the National Safety Council honors individuals who take a lead in creating initiatives that support and promote a corporate culture of safety. Ms. Elliott understands today’s issues and has made tremendous contributions.”

Elliott says the award recognizes her contributions to her profession beyond the University.

“Receiving this award helps bring recognition to our department within the University and within the health and safety community,” she says. “It brings a lot of pride to our department, and that certainly helps us maintain high standards for our program. I am grateful that UD has supported me by allowing me to participate in NSC activities.”

Elliott is the immediate past chairperson for the NSC’s Campus Safety Health Environmental Management Association. She has held the positions of treasurer and vice chairperson in that association and served on the award and recognition committee, professional liaisons committee and the benchmarking task force.

Elliott, who has provided service and leadership in the field of environmental health and safety for the past 23 years, directs UD’s occupational and environmental health safety programs in such areas as biosafety, radiological health, chemical hygiene, fire prevention and accident prevention.

The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to educating and influencing people to prevent accidental injuries and deaths. Members include more than 50,000 businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals.