Tempel’s Chicago campus has earned the 2019 Rusty Demeules Award for Safety Excellence and the 2019 Safety Award of Merit from The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA). Both awards are sponsored by CNA. The Rusty Demeules award is presented annually to one company that excels beyond Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) recordable incidence rates and demonstrates an outstanding safety culture. The Safety Award of Merit is presented to FMA members who posted an injury and illness incidence rate for the 2018 calendar year that was better than the published Bureau of Labor Statistics rate by 10 percent or greater, based on their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.

“Earning recognition for our safety culture does not come easy,” says Tempel Chicago General Manager Dan Smith. “Over the last several years, we have made safety a priority and part of our culture by integrating a safety program that includes weekly safety training for every manufacturing department and providing enhanced specialized training for applicable positions such as lockout/tagout, first aid and CPR, forklift truck operation, crane operation and arc flash protection, just to name a few.”

In addition to these efforts, Tempel Global Environmental Health & Safety Manager Chigozie Okere, PhD, states that Tempel Chicago also requires its manufacturing employees to participate in the OHSA Outreach Training Program that gives workers basic and more advanced training about common safety and health hazards on the job. There is also a safety committee consisting of employees from various manufacturing departments and shifts that meets monthly to review and discuss any possible safety issues.

“All of our efforts are designed to create a transparent environment where everyone knows what proper safety protocol is and feels comfortable immediately reporting any potential safety concerns,” states Okere.

Each year FMA recognizes metal fabrication companies that have a commitment to excellence in safety. The winners are determined by the FMA Safety Council. To be eligible to receive an award, companies were required to submit OSHA Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, for the period January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Firms of all sizes were eligible. Winners were determined based on NAICS code categories and BLS injury and illness incidence rates.

According to Smith, “We are all very proud of this achievement and will strive to earn it every year going forward. Afterall, keeping a safe workplace is a key requirement to be a world class manufacturer.”