The Tarboro facility of Air System Components Inc. was recently recognized by the state Department of Labor for outstanding performance in the area of safety by and for its employees.

At an awards banquet held in Rocky Mount, Air System Components Inc. received two awards.

The company first received the Gold Award, which is presented annually to businesses whose DART (Days Away Restricted or Transfer) rate is at least 50 percent lower than the average for its industry.

To qualify, the company and its employees must work together to prevent accidents that cause the employee to miss time from work or require restricted duty or job transfer to accommodate the injury.

Of all of the businesses in the Nash, Edgecombe and Halifax county area, 31 received the Gold Award for 2007.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Million Hour Awards by North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry.

In order to be eligible for this award, a company must work at least 1,000,000 hours without an accident requiring the employee to lose time from work. The Tarboro facility accepted the award for working 1,000,000 hours from Oct. 25, 2006 to July 19, 2007, and was one of only four businesses in the area to receive the Million Hour Award.

Of the 220,000 businesses operating in North Carolina only 90 received the award for 2007.

Both of the awards received by Air System Components Inc. for 2007 recognizes the company and the employees working safetv and working together to maintain a safe working envirorment.

Air System Components Inc. was also recognized by its parent company, Tomkins Industries Inc. based in Denver, Colo., for being one of two ASC facilities to earn the 2007 Health Safety and Environmental Excellence Award.

This award is presented annually by Tomkins to facilities that excel in all areas concerning the health, safety and enviromental well being of its employees and the community in which it operates.

ASC's Vice President of Operations Larry Mudd presented the award to Frank Watts, who accepted, it on behalf of all employees of the facility.

Air System Components Inc. is a leading supplier of components used for commercial comfort systems and is a division of Tomkins Industries Inc. The Tarboro facility has been in operation sitice 1998.