September 2009

Labor Department Recognizes Two Missouri Companies

for Exceptional Workplace Safety Practices

Manufacturers Bestowed with Prestigious SHARP Award

The Labor Department’s On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program is pleased to announce that National Home Products of Springfield, Inc., and Thermal Engineering International (USA), Inc., have earned the distinction of being named the newest members of Missouri’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) for their excellent workplace safety records.

“We welcome these two businesses into Missouri’s elite workplace safety program,” said Larry Rebman, Director of the Labor Department. “The businesses that belong to this group are essentially the best of the best when it comes to providing a safe and hazard-free workplace. These businesses really care about their employees and should be rewarded for the commitment they put forth in protecting them,” Rebman added.

National Home Products of Springfield, Inc., began implementing a safety and health management program in 2008 after it had its first On-Site Safety Consultation with the Department’s Division of Labor Standards (DLS). Thermal Engineering International (USA), Inc., started its safety and health management program in 2006 after its first On-Site Safety Consultation with the DLS.

These consultations are discretionary and are initiated by employers who want to provide a safe work environment for their workers. Businesses that achieve an excellent workplace safety record and eliminate the occurrences of injuries on the job can qualify for this exclusive safety and health incentive and recognition program. SHARP members also have lower insurance premiums, reduced worker’s compensation, and are exempt from OSHA inspections for up to three years.

Both businesses were honored for their achievement during a ceremony at their places of business. Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Missouri Labor Department’s Division of Labor Standards, and the On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program presented the businesses with a Certificate of Recognition, a SHARP flag, and a proclamation issued by Gov. Jay Nixon, which further signified each company’s achievement.

SHARP was implemented in Missouri in 1991 and has since offered the highest level consultative services to businesses with 250 or fewer employees. The Missouri On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program is the prerequisite for those who wish to be a part of SHARP. It is designed to promote effective workplace safety and health program management by helping the employer locate and remove existing hazards in the facility, thereby reducing injuries and illnesses. SHARP is a reward program designed to provide incentives and support to smaller, high-hazard employers to work with their employees to develop, implement, and continuously improve the effectiveness of their workplace safety and health programs.

To be eligible for SHARP, a company may employ no more than 500 total workers at all nationwide worksites. In addition, the worksite’s lost workday injury and illness rate must be below the national average for its industry.