Roanoke Cement reaches safety milestone

The programme recognises small business employers that have successfully operated with exemplary injury and illness prevention through OSHA’s ‘On-Site Consultation Programme’. This helps employers to highlight potential hazards at their workplace, improve safety programmes that are already in place and offers the opportunity of a one-year exemption from OSHA inspections.

Acceptance into SHARP is an achievement that highlights individual sites as a model for worksite health and safety. SHARP achievement is especially important in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as workplace-related deaths this year have already surpassed the number of fatalities recorded in both 2014 and 2015. Last month, Governor Terry McAuliffe emphasised the importance of workplace safety by attending and speaking at the 21st annual Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Conference – the first sitting governor to do so.

Last year, Governor McAuliffe signed the Virginia Voluntary Protection Programs Act to encourage companies, like Roanoke Cement, to take safety above and beyond OSHA’s requirements. The commonwealth now has 19 work sites that have been accepted in SHARP, which is administered through the Virginia Department of Labour.

“We are proud that of the 19 work sites, three are Roanoke Cement terminals including Front Royal, Norfolk, and Richmond,” says David Brinkley, Director of Distribution for Roanoke Cement. The SHARP journey has taken several years – working with consultants and the Department of Labour – to create this level of safety at our sites. It is truly a cooperative relationship, as envisioned by the Governor, and one that we appreciate.” Delegate Betsy B. Carr (69th District) and Director Warren Rice of the Virginia Department of Labour both made presentations to the Roanoke Cement customers and employees that were on-hand at the official event held last week.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/09112016/roanoke-cement-reaches-safety-milestone/