Rocky Ford, Colorado, USA
December 18, 2009

On November 4, 2009, Mr. Brian Burney, President, and Mr. Jeffrey Fawcett, Purchasing Control Manager, and Ms. Barb Romjue, of Oliver Manufacturing, located in LaJunta and Rocky Ford, received their first SHARP award from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, D.C.

OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, or SHARP, is the Department of Labor’s premier national recognition program for small business safety excellence. The Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor-OSHA, Jordan Barab, signed their SHARP certification followed by letters from Federal OSHA Region VIII, Denver, acknowledging their award and granting OSHA inspection exemption for the company until August 2010.

Through management commitment, employee involvement, and perseverance, Oliver Manufacturing was able to earn its first SHARP award. The facility incorporated a state-of-the-art welding ventilation system, installed significant machine guarding, maintained a superior spray booth, and involved all employees in its safety and health program.

SHARP is difficult to earn and harder to keep as it requires onsite audits and documented, sustained safety performance well above OSHA compliance. There are only 1100 active SHARP companies in the entire country (out of 9 million businesses) and just 46 in Colorado. Companies engaged in metal fabrication have been a focus of OSHA due to the potential exposures to amputations, welding fumes, and noise.

Oliver Manufacturing partnered with Colorado State University’s OSHA Consultation Project in 2006 in order improve their safety and health programs. OSHA’s Safety and Health Consultation program is a voluntary and cooperative service between OSHA and small business in all 50 states and 4 territories. Through engineering and administrative controls, Oliver Manufacturing was able to reduce employee exposure to the hazards associated with their industry.

Website: http://www.seedquest.com/id/o/olivermanufacturing.htm

Published: December 18, 2009