Ashland mill earns safety award
ASHLAND — Maibec Lumber USA in Ashland has earned the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Award (SHARP) in recognition of its rigorous safety achievement program, according to Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette.
Contributed photo
SAFETY FOCUSED — Charles Tardif, left, president of Maibec, Inc., and Jon Stroup, Ashland plant manager for Maibec Lumber, Inc., received their SHARP banner with support from staff during a ceremony last week at the Ashland Fire Department.
Maibec is a leading manufacturer of genuine wood siding and the largest manufacturer of Eastern white cedar shingles in North America. Acceptance into SHARP by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes this worksite as a model for safety and health standards.
“Employers earn SHARP recognition by operating their facility under strict safety and health management standards,” said Gov. Paul R. LePage. “We congratulate Maibec for earning SHARP certification. They demonstrate to their industry that making safety a priority pays off.”
A banner and certificate was presented last week by the Bureau of Labor Standards in a ceremony at the Ashland Fire Department.
Commissioner Paquette stated, “SHARP companies know that a safer facility is not only good for Maine workers, but also good for their businesses. Better safety means less lost time due to injury and illness as well as lower workers’ comp costs.”
Fewer than 2,000 worksites in the United States have earned SHARP certification. The
Ashland mill is one of 68 SHARP worksites in Maine.
To qualify for SHARP, companies must undergo a comprehensive audit, correct all hazards identified during an onsite health and safety consultation, demonstrate that effective safety and health programs are in place and maintain injury rates below the industry average for the last year of completed data. After awarding the SHARP designation, OSHA removes the worksite from its general scheduled inspection list for two years. If the company continues to meet all conditions of the program, the SHARP designation may be renewed for another two years.
