To achieve our goal of creating an injury-free workplace, we have developed a strong safety program with top-level commitment. Leaders at all levels are engaged in the program and lead by example. They regularly participate in safety committees, discuss safety at their staff meetings and communicate the importance of safety to employees. In addition, mechanisms have been established to hold employees accountable for safety. One example is the inclusion of safety metrics in employees’ performance evaluations.

Safety Awareness
Safety awareness education plays a key role in the journey to an injury-free workplace. It goes beyond required training, focusing on the value of people and how unsafe acts drive injuries. In 2005, employees attended 71,000 safety awareness classes. Supervisors held monthly safety meetings at which they discussed safety issues on various topics. To keep safety in the forefront, safety tips were communicated to employees, safety signs were posted, articles on safety were issued in newsletters and websites were developed with safety information.

Employees were actively involved in safety awareness programs; many attended the monthly EHS Council meetings held at their sites. Employees who volunteered to be the safety point persons in their area received additional education and involvement in the awareness program. Employees were encouraged to report unsafe conditions and behaviors and to make safety suggestions. To encourage this behavior, we implemented the EHS Star Program, which is based on rewards and recognition. Star tickets were given to employees who participated in various safety or environmental activities, submitted improvement suggestions, or reported unsafe behaviors or conditions. Monthly prizes were awarded.

We also implemented EHS walkabouts. Walkabouts involve various levels of management walking their areas of responsibility looking for safety issues and discussing safety with employees. They ask employees if there are things that could be done to improve safety; if issues are identified, follow-up actions are taken.

Safety Performance
Since 1998, we have reduced our OSHA-recordable injury rate by 74 percent and our lost workday injury rate (which measures more severe injuries) by 72 percent. Today our rates are at their lowest levels ever. By implementing leading-edge safety programs and processes, the company has prevented over 13,500 employees from being injured. We are not satisfied, however. In 2005, there were 761 recordable injuries, 172 of which resulted in lost workdays. Our ultimate goal is a completely injury-free workplace.

Ergonomics
Ergonomics is a key focus area of health and safety, since roughly 35 percent of our injuries are ergonomics-related, with the majority occuring in the manufacturing environment. Ergonomic injuries include all those caused by pushing, pulling, lifting, lowering, carrying or engaging in repetitive motion. Ergonomics blitzes, which consist of intense assessments by a cross-functional team, have been conducted at several locations. Many design and operational changes were made as a result. We also provide ergonomics education to employees. The programs not only increase awareness of risk factors, but also detail the skills people need to solve ergonomic problems. Online workstation evaluations and self-assessments have been developed for both office and manufacturing.

We recognized the need for better methods of reducing manual material-handling risks; as a result, company criteria have been established. Sites are required to actively conduct hazard assessments of manual material handling tasks, assess risk, prioritize and seek ways to minimize risk during the design of tasks and operations.