The Town of North Hempstead has been named the recipient of the 2026 PERMA Safety Champion Award, recognizing the Town’s leadership in creating a proactive, data-driven workplace safety program that is reducing injuries and strengthening support for more than 600 municipal employees.

Serving nearly 340,000 residents across 31 villages and 58 square miles of Nassau County, North Hempstead operates around the clock — and town leaders have made employee safety a round-the-clock priority as well.

Under the leadership of Commissioner of Human Resources Bob Weitzner and Safety Coordinator Thomas McDonough, the Town has taken an all-in approach to workplace safety since becoming a PERMA member in 2020. Working closely with PERMA’s Risk Management team, the Town analyzed its most common and severe workplace injuries and launched targeted initiatives designed to prevent them before they happen.

The result has been a series of high-impact safety improvements across departments, including specialized training programs focused on Slips, Trips, and Falls, Three Points of Contact vehicle safety, and the Town’s first-ever Chainsaw Safety training for tree crews.

North Hempstead also leveraged PERMA’s safety grant and PERMA Points programs to invest in practical safety resources for employees, including work zone safety kits for highway crews, cooling towels for extreme heat conditions, upgraded PPE, and safety reminder decals installed on Department of Public Works vehicles.

Town officials say the effort is about more than compliance — it’s about creating a culture where employees know their safety comes first.

By combining strong communication, targeted training, and strategic investment in safety resources, North Hempstead has strengthened employee well-being, improved workplace safety practices, and enhanced its ability to serve the community efficiently and effectively. PERMA congratulates the Town of North Hempstead on being named the 2026 PERMA Safety Champion Award winner.