Ecopax Celebrates No OSHA Injury for Over 500 Days
At Ecopax, safety is an integral part of our culture. This week, we are excited to announce a significant milestone: over 500 days without an OSHA recordable injury at Bethlehem Plant. We celebrated this important achievement with a luncheon to recognize everyone’s collaborative efforts and dedication.
A special thank you goes to the Safety Committee, which has transformed our work environment over the past two years. They actively promote changes and implement essential safety guidelines. Without their hard work and commitment, we wouldn’t have reached this milestone.
Why We Celebrate
We are celebrating not just a milestone of over 500 days without recordable injury. We are also celebrating the positive company culture of safety that has flourished since the Safety Committee implemented its changes.
Byron Chen, the lead of the Safety Committee for the Bethlehem Plant, who puts in great effort to promote and embody all safety standards. He believes that we are also celebrating our culture of accountability. Safety is a shared responsibility, and without everyone's active participation, change is not possible.
It is not only about the well-being of each individual but also about protecting their families that rely on them. We have reached this milestone because each of us is dedicated not only to following the rules and guidelines but also to protecting one another from harm.
And this is why we celebrate!
What is OSHA and What is Recordable Injury?
In the food packaging industry, safety is the number one priority. Our employees use machines and materials that affect the quality of takeout packaging. This, in turn, impacts food safety. A safe workplace protects our employees and helps us meet high standards for our customers.
OSHA, which stands for The Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It is a federal agency, enforcing rules and regulations across various industries. Their mission is to ensure the safety and health in workplaces. We comply with OSHA standards to protect our employees from workplace hazards.
OSHA defines a recordable injury as any work-related injury or illness that requires more than basic first aid or results in lost work time. These incidents must be recorded and reported. Each year, we submit our injury and illness data using Form 300 to comply with industry regulations. We also post a summary of this data for our employees, keeping them informed about workplace safety.
Highlights of our Celebration
To honor this significant accomplishment, we organized a festive luncheon for employees. This gathering provided an opportunity for team members to come together, share a meal, and reflect on the importance of safety in our work.
As part of our celebration, we launched an exciting T-shirt design contest centered around a safety theme. Employees were encouraged to showcase their creativity by submitting designs that reflect our safety culture.
Throughout the week of the 27th, our Safety Committee will review all submitted designs. The winning design will be printed on T-shirts, which will be distributed to all team members as a memorable token of our commitment to safety.
Additionally, the top five designs received special prizes, recognizing the creativity and contributions of our employees. This initiative also marks Ecopax's first celebration of reaching this milestone.
How We Achieved This Milestone
We achieved this milestone through the dedicated efforts of the Safety Committee at both plants. They meet once a month to conduct joint inspections to identify potential workplace hazards. They also offer monthly safety training sessions for all employees. They designed the interactive training to engage and motivate everyone. It helps them to understand the importance of safety protocols.
Besides the standard regulations, like enforcing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). They also implement fun contests, where staff members can participate by submitting any potential work hazards they see. Participants are rated based on the number of hazards submitted and the criticality of each problem identified. The top five individuals with the highest points receive gifts.
The goal is to engage and motivate everyone to stay aware of safety standards. As Byron says, the process is what matters most. When everyone actively embodies the safety culture, the positive results will naturally follow.
As a company, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of safety. After celebrating our success in surpassing the first goal of one year without recordable injuries. We now aim to extend this impressive achievement to three years!
This photo features (from left to right) Mary Alfieri, Byron Chen, Roberto Rivera, and Carlos Rodriguez.
Special Thank You For Byron Chen and the Safety Committee
A special thank you goes to Byron Chen and the Bethlehem Safety Committee members: Mary Alfieri, Carlos Rodriguez, Roberto Rivera, Hector Ortega, and David Sancinito.
They have been instrumental in fostering a culture of safety at Ecopax. Their emphasis on the safety of every operation and commitments are invaluable. Without their continuous efforts, we would not have reached the remarkable milestone of over 500 days without recordable injuries.