Aviation's Commitment to Safety Earns Carolina Star Recertification

CLT's Aviation Department received Carolina Public Sector Star recertification on October 29 for Cohort I (Finance & Administration, Technology, Business & Innovation, Legal, Strategy and Organizational & Talent Development) and Cohort II (Operations and Development).

The certification recognizes state agencies and local governments for their leadership and success in providing a safe and healthy work environment. Carolina Star consultants:

• Conducted safety evaluations and site tours
• Reviewed Risk, Safety & Health programs, training records and incident reports
• Audited employee workspaces and
• Interviewed more than 100 Aviation employees as part of the recertification process.

North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Luke Farley was onsite to applaud Aviation staff for achieving the coveted accomplishment. “I’ve been to the Airport to recognize your safety achievements more than I've ever been to any other employer in the state of North Carolina,” Farley said. “And that is a testament to the great safety work that is being done at Charlotte Airport.”

North Carolina has about 250,000 private sector and 100,000 public sector employers, according to Farley. Of that number, less than 150 employers have received Carolina Star certification.

“Being part of Star is an elite club,” he added. “It is the best of the best, the cream of the crop. You are not just making yourselves and your team safer here, you are making workers across North Carolina safer. One, because you're raising the bar and setting the standard for what a safe workplace should look like. But two, it allows the department to direct resources to the employers who really need it.”

Since 2019 all Aviation Department divisions have held N.C. Department of Labor’s Carolina Public Sector Star designations. “Safety is a top priority at CLT, and the Star designation aligns with a core Aviation Department strategic principle – Safety and Security,” said CLT’s CEO Haley Gentry. “CLT is proud to be the first airport operator in the country and first City of Charlotte department to receive the Carolina Public Sector Star designation for all its divisions.”

Throughout the Carolina Star process, the Airport has incorporated the following five Star key elements in its daily work environment:

• Management commitment and leadership
• Employee involvement and participation
• Hazard identification and evaluation
• Hazard prevention and control
• Safety and health training

This year alone, the Airport has also received the following safety accolades:

• Braveheart Award for CLT’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program and high survival rate of people who experience cardiac arrests on Airport property.

• Aviation’s Administration team attained its eighth-consecutive Gold Award and Operations and Development teams earned a first-year Gold Award from the North Carolina Department of Labor for maintaining outstanding safety records.

• CLT was named the second safest U.S. airport in a study conducted by San Antonio-based George Salinas Injury Lawyers, which reviewed records published by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board over the last 20 years.

Gentry reiterated to ceremony attendees that safety is not dependent on one person, but it’s a team effort. "Every action matters, every detail counts, and every person can contribute to a safe environment. The stars of the show at CLT are our employees who step up every day and make our mission come to life. Their commitment reminds us that safety is more than a goal — it’s a shared responsibility and a value that we live by."