OREANDA-NEWS. CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) announced the winners of its Safe Handling Award for 2013. In all, 143 companies were presented with the Safe Handling Award at a special ceremony.

JJ Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said: “On behalf of CN, I am pleased to congratulate each of the Safe Handling Award recipients for 2013.

“This award recognizes customers who, like CN, make the safe handling of dangerous goods a top priority. CN has an unwavering commitment to safety and works closely with its customers to deliver responsibly. This focus has produced meaningful results: 99.998 per cent of dangerous goods hauled by CN-many of which are essential to the North American economy and communities across the continent-arrive at destination without a release caused by an accident.”

Launched in 1992, CN's Safe Handling Award is presented to customers who load freight cars with dangerous goods and meet strict standards for the safe handling and shipment of regulated products. The winners must meet established criteria, according to the total number of shipments of dangerous goods for all facilities.

The Safe Handling Award is an integral part of the Responsible Care® Program - an ongoing performance improvement initiative in which CN is a partner, both in Canada and the U.S.