How are PMPA Members Promoting Workers’ Safety?
Regardless of the size of an operation, every business owner knows that promoting workplace safety is not only the right thing to do, but it’s an absolute must, according to the Department of Labor.
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Regardless of the size of an operation, every business owner knows that promoting workplace safety is not only the right thing to do, but it’s an absolute must, according to the Department of Labor. Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Dr. David Michaels, says, “Employers need to take immediate steps to protect their workers.”
Is workplace safety a priority at your company?
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If we asked your employees or customers for their perspective on your philosophy and efforts to avoid workplace injuries, what would they tell us? Industry studies consistently show that those companies with the best safety records have a top-down culture of promoting risk avoidance. That culture begins with a strong commitment from upper management.
PMPA member Tom Bernstein, owner of Torin Products Inc. of Columbus, Neb., has found that his hands-on inspection of the shop for potential risk hazards infuses a culture of safety awareness with his company’s supervisors. Discussing operations safety is an ongoing process that includes immediate attention to detail—especially during hiring orientation when new employees are first learning their job duties.
Operators are trained extensively on lockout/tagout and machine guarding before they are given any responsibility for production. “No job is too important that we don’t make safety our first priority,” Mr. Bernstein says.
Darlene Miller, owner of Permac Industries of Burnsville, Minn., takes an extremely active role with her employees when it comes to safety. “Training provided on hazardous communication has ensured that information on chemicals is given to all employees,” she says. “There is an understanding of what information is documented on a material safety data sheet, how to gain this information in the event of an emergency and how to properly identify chemicals on the production floor.
“Our insurance company, Federated Insurance, provided a much more comprehensive employee meeting than we’ve been able to do on our own,” Ms. Miller points out. “They also assisted us with decibel testing and forklift operator training.”
In today’s regulatory environment, you can’t afford to leave safety measures to chance. If you need assistance developing and communicating a company safety program, talk to your local Federated Insurance representative about how the company’s Risk Control Review can assist you.
According to Ms. Miller, “Being a Federated client for the past 16 years has been a ‘no surprises’ experience. They offer peace of mind and proactive risk management that sets them apart from other companies.”
— Precision Machined Products Association
