Okla. Manufacturer Passes Million-Hour Mark Without a Workplace Injury

Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Brenda Reneau recently recognized York International, Norman, Okla., with a Commissioner’s Commendation for its standard-setting achievement of operating more than one-million hours without a recordable injury.

“You’ve got to understand the high risk nature of manufacturing to truly appreciate how significant this achievement is,” Reneau said. “York International is a shining example of how management commitment and employee involvement create safe workplaces. It begins when you make safety a value in your organization.”

From 1999 to 2005, York International reduced its OSHA recordable injury cases by 85 percent. During that same period, the company reduced it’s OSHA recordable lost-time cases by 86 percent.

York established a Central Safety Committee composed of hourly, salaried and top level managerial personnel that successfully completed 60 safety related projects during 2005. The company also performs job safety analysis throughout the facility and has completed more than 1200 Safety Observations to measure the impact of its commitment and employee involvement.

“Congratulations to this wonderful Oklahoma company on the genuine care it displays for its employees and their families,” Reneau said. “Operations Director John Ott and Safety Director Brenda Truman are to be commended for their role in helping York mark this tremendous occasion.”

York International’s world headquarters are based in Norman. The light commercial heating and cooling product manufacturer employs more than one thousand Oklahomans and contributes millions of dollars to the economies of Norman and central Oklahoma.

“In the last decade, manufacturing injuries have fallen more than 50 percent, ” Reneau said. “The success of our Safety Pays® OSHA Consultation program and manufacturers like York International are uniquely responsible for that unparalleled accomplishment. I look forward to York reaching its goal of two million hours without a recordable injury and beyond. It’s great for morale and it has a tremendous impact on keeping the company competitive here at home given it’s world-wide manufacturing capabilities.”

Source: Oklahoma Department of Labor