Original Date: 06/29/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

A safe environment is the first and most important priority at Wainwright Industries. Safety is not a program but a process that includes good training, safe work practices, properly guarded machinery, clean facilities, teamwork, and management support. Every aspect of the Wainwright Industries business has benefited from this emphasis on safety. In 1991, Wainwright Industries prioritized safety -- identified as the most important concern of its associates -- as the first and most important measurement category, ahead of internal customer satisfaction, external customer satisfaction, quality, and business performance.

Several factors contribute to the safety process at Wainwright. For example, up to of 7% of its annual payroll is spent on training, with substantial emphasis placed on safety. New associates receive a one-day orientation on company safety. They are then required to work at least two weeks with the trainer and a long-time associate learning to safely and correctly perform their jobs before being released to work alone. Refresher courses on safety- related issues are also conducted. Safety suggestions are encouraged through the company's Continuous Improvement Process (CIM) suggestion program. Every day, each area of the facility is randomly checked and graded on housekeeping, safety, and organization. A failure in any of these areas requires a CIM to improve the situation. A World Class Safety Committee helps associates prioritize safety goals, is responsible for conducting safety investigations, and acts as liaison between management and associates on safety issues. Video re-enactments made by the associates and the World Class Safety Team are made to evaluate circumstances that could lead to an accident or resulted from an accident. The circumstances around the accident are then used in corrective actions and safety training to ensure similar accidents will be avoided. Safety expenditures are not subject to the same scrutiny as other requests. Each job coming on line is reviewed for safety, from receipt of incoming material to shipping the parts, with the same detail as given to the design, fabrication, and test requirements.

The safety-first priority has benefited every aspect of the Wainwright business. Associates have a high degree of certainty that they will be injury-free. Since 1991, workers' compensation claims have dropped to zero. The number of accidents per year are nearing zero. Lost time due to accidents has decreased by 85% resulting in an attendance rate that is up to 99%. Customer satisfaction ratings are at 95% and continue to improve.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.