Jefferson City, Mo – The Labor Department’s On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program is pleased to announce that Smith Flooring in Mountain View, Missouri has earned the distinction of maintaining its membership with the Missouri’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) for five consecutive years.
“We congratulate Smith Flooring for its continued dedication to workplace safety,” said Julie Gibson, Acting 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,” Gibson added.
Smith Flooring employs more than 102 people in Missouri and specializes in the manufacturing of hardwood flooring. Smith Flooring had an internal safety and health management program prior to pursuing the SHARP status with the Department’s Division of Labor Standards years ago. Since Smith Flooring became a member of SHARP, their injury rate has been reduced by nearly half.
The on-site 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 workers’ compensation insurance premiums and are exempt from OSHA inspections for a period of time.
Smith Flooring was honored for its achievement during a ceremony at 11:30 a.m., on May 16, 2013, at its business, located at 1501 US Highway 60 in Mountain View, MO. The Missouri Department of Labor attended the event to present a proclamation issued by Governor Jay Nixon and a banner to signify Smith Flooring’s long-term achievement. View the event video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h7O1bIgu_Q.
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.
In fiscal year 2012, the safety program corrected conditions in participating businesses that could have resulted in more than $11.3 million in OSHA fines. In addition, 6,413 workplace hazards workplace hazards were remedied. For more information about the SHARP or to request a free safety and health consultation, please visit www.labor.mo.gov/SAFE or call the Division of Labor Standards at (573) 522-SAFE.