What’s the key to sustaining a high level of safety performance for nearly two decades? Find out how one employer does it.
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Cassemco Inc., a Tennessee-based foam product manufacturer, has logged no recordable incidents in the past three years, which translates to 150,000 safe work hours and an injury rate that’s well below the industry average. Cassemco joined Tennessee OSHA’s (TOSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) 18 years ago after implementing safety and health recommendations made by the state safety consultants.
In 2006, the company moved to a newer building and transitioned from making foam components for automotive and sporting good applications to producing orthopedics products.
The employer’s safety and health approach is strengthened by a shared commitment by management and employees. Noted production coordinator Eleanor Hooks, “The SHARP award has always been an added incentive for all the employees to work safely. I believe Cassemco employees take special pride in receiving it again this year.”
General manager Jerry Samon says that despite the company’s small size (currently 22 employees), standards are high. He says the push for safety has had bottom line business benefits. “All that we have accomplished over the years with the help and assistance of TOSHA has benefited our clients and helped our employees stay safety conscious.” He says the company plans to continue to fly the SHARP flag in the future.
According to OSHA, Cassemco’s total recordable case rate of 4.9 means that the business “has effectively prevented injuries to 20 percent of their workforce in the past three years when compared to the average of their peers.”