|
Northern Coatings Inc. Receives Renewed MIOSHA Recognition of their Workplace Safety and Health Excellence
May 24, 2010 – Northern Coatings and Chemical Company, Inc., recently received renewal of its prestigious Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Award certification from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
“Northern Coatings is to be commended for its exemplary commitment to workplace safety and health. They have created a culture where protecting workers is a top priority,” said MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski. “This company has been a Michigan SHARP site since 2006 and recognizes that a safe workplace provides the foundation for a productive workplace.”
MIOSHA established the Michigan SHARP Award to recognize employers that have achieved workplace safety and health excellence far beyond their peers. The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG).
“This recognition is based on dedication and hard work from everyone in our plant. As a company we have a strong commitment to the health and safety of all our employees,” said Dan Jones, Plant Manager. “We are proud to be a partner with MIOSHA, having worked with their consultation program since 1996.”
Rich Ulrich, Technical Director, added, “Our commitment to improved health and safety goes beyond paint production. Northern Coatings has had an ongoing research and development program to provide environmentally friendly product finishes with minimal solvent emissions, including high solids, waterborne and 100% solids UV-cure coatings.”
The Michigan SHARP Program targets small manufacturers – to help them develop, implement and continuously improve the effectiveness of their workplace safety and health management system. SHARP provides an incentive for employers to emphasize accident and illness prevention by anticipating problems, rather than simply reacting to them.
The MIOSHA Onsite Consultation Program within the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division operates the Michigan SHARP Program. Onsite consultants work with employers to help them become self-sufficient in managing occupational safety and health. SHARP worksites earn an exemption from “programmed” MIOSHA inspections on a yearly basis. The MIOSHA review team consisted of Bob Dayringer, CET Senior Onsite Industrial Hygienist, and Bill Shane, CET Senior Onsite Safety Consultant.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for Northern Coatings is 325510 – Paint and Coating Manufacturing. Their incidence rates are well below the national average for their NAICS code. Northern Coatings’ total case incidence rate (TCIR) was 0.0 in 2006, 2007 and 2008, compared to 2.2 for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) industry average for all three years. The total days away/restricted cases (DART) rate for the company was 0.0 in 2006, 2007 and 2008, compared to 3.8 for the BLS industry average for all three years.
“The Michigan SHARP Program requires a comprehensive consultation visit, and the correction of all serious workplace safety and health hazards,” said Kalinowski. “Northern Coatings has developed a safety and health system that provides first-rate protection for their workers.”
The facility has an excellent system in place, which incorporates each of the seven required elements: Hazard Anticipation and Detection; Hazard Prevention and Control; Planning and Evaluation; Administration and Supervision; Safety and Health Training; Management Leadership; and Employee Participation.
Some of Northern Coatings’ new improvements include:
- Completed job hazard analyses (JSA) for all job descriptions;
- Installed portable drum scales and other equipment to minimize ergonomic injuries;
- Added equipment to reduce organic vapor exposure during filling operations;
- Implemented a “near miss program” to report, investigate and take action on “close calls incidents” to prevent recurrence;
- Developed a new training matrix for their action plan to address safety and health goals;
- Employees are involved in the internal hazard inspection process; and
- Top Management continues to provide complete support for safety and health, even during these difficult economic times.
Northern Coatings Inc. employs 34 workers and manufactures specialty coatings for fuel cells, medical equipment, engines and automotive equipment, and many other commercial products. Northern Coatings is ISO 9001:2008 certified, and for more than 35 years has been an industry leader in the development and production of high-quality, environmentally compliant coatings. They serve both domestic and international customers and have an active research and development department that keeps them on the cutting edge of coating technology.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News Release from: Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
P.O. Box 30004, Ottawa Bldg 4th Floor., Lansing, MI 48909
Contact: Mario L. Morrow 517-373-9280
Director: Stanley "Skip" Pruss
|
