Illinois Department of Labor issued the following announcement on Oct. 3.
The Illinois Department of Labor announced Thursday that Andrews Engineering, headquartered in Springfield, has received the national Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) designation.
The firm earned SHARP status after completing a thorough health and safety evaluation by Illinois OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program.
"Andrews Engineering has gone above and beyond to prove its dedication to workplace health and safety," said Michael Kleinik, director of the Illinois Department of Labor. "The steps they have taken to develop their safety and injury-prevention program makes them not only worthy of this prestigious recognition but also an example other businesses should follow."
The engineering firm, which began its SHARP journey with the help of IDOL's Illinois OSHA division about a year ago, is just the 39th Illinois business to earn the recognition. By earning SHARP status, the engineering firm's headquarter location in Springfield, which has about 30 employees, is exempt from routine OSHA inspections while the SHARP certification remains valid. Andrews Engineering has another 30 employees in other offices in Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.
Kenneth Liss, president of Andrews Engineering, said his firm's SHARP journey did not start due to a violation or injury but rather the company wanting to improve an already good situation.
"By establishing safety education programs, we prevent accidents," said Liss. "We will not put our staff in an unsafe work environment. The pay-off is a work-healthy staff who recognize our commitment to their well-being. This results in a positive culture and raises the level of professionalism throughout the company."
Liss said the firm appreciated the expertise that was shared by the Illinois OSHA On-site Consultation Program staff.
"I am very pleased with the results, and we plan on working towards qualifying our other office locations in the near future," said Liss.
Illinois OSHA offers free and confidential safety and health onsite consultations for employers with up to 500 employees. The Illinois On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program can help Illinois businesses meet the federal OSHA health and safety regulations and can assist those companies interested in pursuing SHARP status.
If you have questions about Illinois OSHA's on-site consultation program, you can call 800-972-4216 or visit www.labor.illinois.gov for more information.
The On-Site Consultation Cooperative Agreement is funded by a federal grant which constitutes 90 percent of the overall budget. Ten percent is financed by state funds.
Original source can be found here.
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