PORTSMOUTH — Southern Ohio Medical Center has received the Ohio Hospital Association’s Top Twenty Percent Award for being one of the safest health care facilities in the state of Ohio.

The award is given through OHA’s Statewide Hospital Safety Campaign, which annually recognizes hospitals and health care systems that have secured the best workplace safety records.

“This honor recognizes that SOMC is not only working to provide a safe environment for our patients and visitors, but also our employees,” Leeann L. Sammons, vice president of SOMC Health and Safety, said.

Winners were chosen based on their organization’s submitted Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses data, which included the total recordable employee injury cases and days away from work for the past year.

“Safety is a priority in everything we do and this award shows our continuous dedication to go above and beyond,” Sammons said.

“Our leaders and front-line staff members have been working very hard over the past year to create and sustain a culture of safety and the safest working environment possible. This recognition is yet another way to measure our progress toward achieving safety excellence at SOMC.”