Employees at Hobart Brothers Company Reach Safety Milestone
TROY, Ohio. July 24, 2007-The dedicated employees throughout several business units at Hobart Brothers Company recently reached a safety milestone: 1.5 million man-hours without a 'lost time accident'. The milestone was recorded as of June 30, 2007 and is the combined effort of 667 employees throughout the company's corporate office, five filler metal Business Units and Hobart Welding Products. Hobart Ground Power, a business unit that manufacturers equipment for the aerospace industry, also contributed to the safety record.
According to Kris Buck, industrial hygiene/safety manager for the company, OSHA standards define 'no lost time accidents' as injuries that cause any loss of time from work beyond the day or shift it occurred.
At Hobart Brothers Company, man-hours are accumulated at a rate of 173 hours per month or approximately 2080 hours per year per employee. To reach the current milestone based on those measurements, each of the Business Units has exceeded one year with 'no lost time accidents'. The Specialty Tubular Wire Business Unit has not had a 'lost time accident' since its inception in January 2004.
"These safety achievements attest to the vigilance of our employees-both those
on the shop floors and those in management," states Grant Harvey, vice president of North American tubular wire division. "Due to increased product demand, our tubular wire facilities have been operating at record capacity during the last several years. We are proud that our employees can work at such a high level of productivity without sacrificing safety."
Hobart Brothers Company operates two tubular wire business units. The Piqua plant, whose employees are celebrating 490,000 man-hours without a lost time accident, and the Troy plant, where employees have compiled 418,000 man-hours.
Other filler metal Business Units sharing in the safety success include the stick electrode and solid wire divisions headed by general manager, Dan Jackson. "This outstanding achievement is yet another indication of the quality and dedication of the fine men and women in our company," says Jackson.
Adds David Knoll, Hobart Welding Products VP and general manager, "Credit for these records goes to our employees, their supervisors and managers. Their dedication to safety training and employee involvement programs is essential to Hobart achieving such an outstanding record."
