Marion Die and Fixture receives safety award
One of only
100 in the state
Staff reporter
It's a distinction few businesses receive.
Being a safe place to work is more than just meeting the bare minimum requirements set out by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration). It's about assuring workers that they are working in a safe environment and will go home at the end of the day without injury.
Marion Die & Fixture was one of about 100 sites in the state, which has 7,500 employers, recognized for its exemplary safety and health management system.
Officials from Kansas Department of Labor and OSHA were at the Marion business Thursday to award the local manufacturing business the SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) award.
Here's how the program works. A business, in an industry that is on OSHA's high hazard list, must request a consultation visit from KDOL that involves a complete hazard identification survey. Diane Richmond, Marion Die & Fixture office manager and safety compliance officer, did just that. When KDOL officials visited the plant, 20 hazards were identified.
Employees were involved in the consultation process, and participated with management in the safety program.
All identified hazards were corrected by Marion Die & Fixture and a safety and health management system was implemented.
Another requirement to participate in SHARP is to lower the company's days away, restricted, or transferred (DART) rate and total recordable case rate below the national average. Marion Die & Fixture has a low injury and illness rate with only one OSHA-reported injury since Jan. 1, 2006. That incident did not result in any time lost.
The final requirement is to notify the state consultation project office prior to making any changes in the working conditions or introducing new hazards in the workplace.
With the receipt of the SHARP recognition, Marion Die & Fixture will be exempt from programmed inspections during the next two years. At that time, the company again can apply for the exemption.
"Governor Sebelius and the secretary of labor are two big supporters of this program," Steve Zink of Kansas Department of Labor. "We want everybody to go home with all of their fingers and toes."
He continued that more particularly in a smaller community like Marion, where employees may be neighbors, it's tough to go home at the end of the day and know that carelessness may have caused an injury to a neighbor.
"We consider this site to be the 'cream of the crop,' the best of the best," Zink said.
OSHA representative Glen Taylor said OSHA takes a stand with employees whose employers don't protect them.
Taylor addressed the 25-30 employees attending the ceremony.
"Some employees may have worked for a company where safety and health are not top priorities," he said.
But in a global economy, companies need every edge possible to succeed. Providing a safe environment for employees as they produce a product is a competitive edge.
Marion Mayor Mary Olson offered her congratulations to Don Bredemeier, general manager of Marion Die & Fixture.
Bredemeier recognized Richmond for her efforts in applying for and participating in the program.
