SPARTANBURG —Three manufacturing facilities in Union County are among 99 across the state recognized by the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance for outstanding workplace safety accomplishments in 2012.
In a statement released this week, the SCMA announced that the Milliken and Company Cedar Hill Plant, the Sonoco Pinckney/Paragon plant and the South Carolina Electric & Gas Neals Shoals Hydro facility were among the facilities recognized for their safety record.
Facilities are nominated for recognition if they have a low rate of incidents resulting in lost workdays, job transfers, or restrictions. Those with an incident rate below the statewide average for their NAICS code received an award from the SCMA. The awards were by presented by Holly Pisarik, director of the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, to representatives of the companies being honored during a ceremony in Spartanburg on Thursday.
“The dedication to supporting a safe workplace is exemplary at these plants,” said Steve Eberhardt, Corporation Safety & Continuous Improvement Manager for AstenJohnson, Inc. and Workforce Protection Conference Chairman. “The safety of employees is an irreplaceable component of ensuring a viable business environment. The willingness of these manufacturers to not only meet but exceed safety standards shows their commitment to making South Carolina a safe and successful place to work.”
SCMA President Lewis Gossett said Milliken, Sonoco, and SCE&G have all developed a culture of health and safety at their facilities that serves as a model for other companies.
“You’ve got some pretty strong operations over there,” Gossett said Friday morning. “What you’ve got are three companies that are world class when it comes to ensuring the safety and health of their workforce. They set standards other companies measure their own performances by. These are organizations that have traditionally put the strongest emphasis on employee safety and health so these awards are no surprise.”
Gossett added that Milliken, Sonoco, and SCE&G have done this out of concern for the well-being of their employees, not because of any award or recognition or honor they might receive for doing so.
“Safety and health is a culture, it is concern for your employees,” Gossett said. “None of these companies do this to get an award. It is about creating a culture of safety and health. We just want to be in a position to honor them even though it is not why they do it.”
About The SCMA
The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance is the only statewide organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of manufacturers. Its mission is to elevate the quality of life for all South Carolinians by advancing the state’s manufacturing industry. The SCMA membership is comprised of more than 200 manufacturing companies that represent more than 80,000 associates in South Carolina. For additional information about the SCMA, please visit www.myscma.com.
Editor Charles Warner can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 14, or by email at cwarner@civitasmedia.com.
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