Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone) today announced that six of its facilities have been recognized for their facilities’ leadership, excellence and improvements to advance worker health and safety by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s (USTMA) Safety Health Improvement Program (SHIP). Bridgestone received the Leadership Award, one Excellence Award and five Improvement Awards during USTMA’s Board meeting on April 4.
Since 1981, the SHIP awards have recognized USTMA companies for excellence and improvements in worker health and safety. This year, USTMA expanded its program to recognize member companies for proactive steps taken to improve workplace safety and health culture. Bridgestone was one of four member companies honored with the new Leadership Award for its promotion of innovative practices to improve worker safety.
“At Bridgestone, safety is a core business value and can be seen in our employees dedication to our motto, ‘Safety, First Always,” said Jim DeMouy, vice president, environment, health, safety and sustainability (EHSS), Bridgestone Americas. “As our industry continues to evolve, we remain committed to innovative practices to enhance and improve worker health and safety.”
Bridgestone also received awards for demonstrating workplace safety and improvements, measured by the incidence rate for lost workday cases.
The following plants were recognized:
Excellence Award
- Bridgestone Bandag Plant, Oxford, North Carolina
Improvement Awards
- Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Commercial Truck Bus Radial (TBR), La Vergne, Tennessee
- Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Off-the-Road Tire Plant, Bloomington, Illinois
- Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Passenger Tire Plant, Wilson, North Carolina
- Bridgestone Bandag Plant, Abilene, Texas
- Bridgestone Bandag Plant, Griffin, Georgia
Forty-seven plants including tread rubber manufacturing, inner tube manufacturing, aircraft tire manufacturing and tire manufacturing from USTMA member companies supplied data for the annual survey to be eligible for the awards. The data supplied to USTMA is identical to the information provided to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, which publishes annual injury and illness information on all industries.
“USTMA members share a vision for the U.S. tire manufacturing industry of zero injuries in the workplace,” says Anne Forristall Luke, CEO and president of USTMA. “USTMA’s annual SHIP Awards demonstrate our members’ progress toward meeting that vision.”
For more information about the company’s commitment to the health and safety of employees, visit BridgestoneAmericas.com.