SHARP testimonials

Since joining the SHARP program, we have been surprised and encouraged to see applicants specifically citing our commitment to safety as a primary reason they chose to apply to work for us.

The City of Keizer is the first municipality in the State of Oregon to earn Safety & Health Administration Recognition Program (SHARP) certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This is a testament to our commitment to safety for our employees and our community.

Machell DePina, Human Resource Director
City of Keizer, SHARP Graduate

Our Safety Policy states, “Marvin Wood Products will provide a SAFE place to work, we expect YOU to work SAFELY while you are here.”

Oregon OSHA and the SHARP program have provided a valuable catalyst to our company. The consultative efforts and support of Oregon OSHA have allowed us to develop a premier safety culture, built on a solid foundation and continuously improved through employee involvement. A sampling of employee statements regarding the impact of Oregon OSHA and the SHARP program include:

• The SHARP program opened the door to work with Oregon OSHA as a partner rather than an opponent.
• The SHARP program served as a vehicle to strengthen our injury and Illness program.
• Oregon OSHA started us with a simple approach that developed strong programs and raised our awareness.
• Oregon OSHA helped us bring all the layers together.
• Oregon OSHA provided positive help and direction. The SHARP program taught us how to be successful with our own resources.
• We refer to Oregon OSHA and Marvin Wood Products as part of the same team; it’s not us and them anymore.

Marvin Wood Products completed our fourth year SHARP company, and we used that as a springboard to achieve VPP status.

Dennis Elder, Human Resource Manager
Marvin Wood Products, SHARP Graduate/VPP Star site

Working with Oregon OSHA in the SHARP program for the last five years has helped elevate our company safety program to the next level.

It has been very beneficial in changing our safety program from one that looked good on paper to one that is an important working part of all aspects of our company from the accounting department to the carpenter on the job site.

Gary Stonewall, Safety Coordinator
R & H Construction, Inc., SHARP Graduate

SHARP has empowered the employees of Lebanon Community Hospital to explore creative safety solutions. A safer environment for workers translates into a safer environment for our patients and visitors!

Deborah L. Fell-Carlson, BSN,RN,COHN-S
Lebanon Community Hospital, SHARP Graduate

Our relationship with Oregon OSHA and the SHARP program is the perfect partnership. Obviously safety is of the utmost importance to our organization, and the SHARP program provides one more tool we use to meet our goals. The networking is wonderful and everyone here strives to ensure we achieve and maintain the standards SHARP requires. In addition, we are the first vocational service organization to be recognized as an Oregon-SHARP participant for outstanding awareness and employee involvement in safety programs.

Steve Martin, Safety Manager
Southern Oregon Goodwill Industries, SHARP Graduate

The work leading up to our first year of SHARP recognition was accomplished, in large part, due to the support we received from the Oregon OSHA consultants. We collaborated as a team toward the same goal of workplace safety.

The Safety Committee and the employees of Stepping Stone Residential Services, Inc., have made a significant effort to improve the safety habits, policies, programs, and procedures used within the organization to ensure a safe workplace environment for all our employees.

Obtaining SHARP status has provided the Safety Committee with a focal point and additional motivation for continued quality improvement and provided a roadmap to the ultimate goal of eliminating workplace injuries and illnesses. The hard work and outcomes of the Safety Committee members, management, and all employees continues to ensure us worthy of SHARP recognition. With the recent addition of Stepping Stone's Safety Coordinator to the SHARP Alliance Board the "team" is even larger as we continue our pursuit of excellence in safety programs, policies, and procedures.

Denise Lamb, Unit Supervisor / Oregon SHARP Alliance Secretary
Stepping Stone Residential Services, Inc., SHARP Graduate

The SHARP program offered by Oregon OSHA was one of the best things that ever happened to our safety program here at (Pioneer Cut Stock) PCS.

It became the tool we used to not only identify and improve in certain areas but it was, and continues to be, the tool we use to establish our goals for continuous improvement. Use of this program created a new sense of teamwork and cooperation. The initial goal was to improve safety. The side effects were increased morale, more production, higher quality, and less turnover. An atmosphere or pride and accomplishment came to be associated with the term SHARP.

Gerry Gerlach, Human Resource Manager
Pioneer Cut Stock, Inc., SHARP Graduate

For Willamette Landscape Services, Inc., becoming SHARP certified has been one of the most positive commitments our company has made. Not only did it force us to stretch ourselves to be safer, it gave us something truly valuable to rally behind. Prior to SHARP, we were already a pretty safe company with a strong, home-grown safety culture. However, SHARP pushed us to improve in areas we might not have otherwise realized needed work. I would recommend to anybody seeking a stronger safety commitment to meet with the OSHA consultation staff for input. We're glad we did!

Matt Triplett, Vice President
Willamette Landscape Services, Inc., SHARP Graduate

We have received most of the positive benefits that we expected when we first applied for the SHARP certification.

Among the benefits we expected were a lowered incident rate and by extension less lost-time injuries. In obtaining these goals we have naturally lowered the costs resulting from injuries. A price cannot be placed upon the feeling of confidence we now have that our employees can come to work and go home while being free of injury.

At the same time, through the SHARP program, we have been able to demonstrate time and again to our employees that we truly care about their safety. Morale has definitely been impacted by this.

One area of benefit that we didn't predict is how we now have a great tool to attract new clients. It's amazing how many large companies with well established safety programs are now requiring their vendors to provide a safe working environment. From time to time, one of these companies will ask for some "evidence" of the quality of our safety program. As a SHARP recipient and a SHARP Alliance delegate, I can now send our potential clients a link to both websites where we are listed prominently.

Jeff Anderson, Safety/Environmental Director
Graphic Arts Center, SHARP Graduate

When Klamath Cogeneration went commercial in 2001, Pacific Klamath Energy (PKE) began as plant operator. We recognized that we needed to develop an appropriate safe plan and attitude for our 23 new employees. We did some research and found out about Oregon OSHA’s consulting division. We immediately contacted them to develop a relationship and get some help with the task at hand. We were assigned a consultant and entered into the SHARP program. After many visits and phone calls to our OSHA consultant, we became SHARP in July 2002, about one year after starting PKE. We maintained that status for five years and graduated in July 2007.

Throughout my career in the power generation field, I had only heard negative stories about OSHA encounters; therefore, I was apprehensive at first to call OSHA and talk with them. I can say that I am glad I overcame my apprehension and made that first call. Being in the SHARP program has been very positive for our employees, for PKE as a team, and for our parent company Iberdrola Renewables. Oregon OSHA's SHARP program and consultation division is extremely proactive and very helpful to Oregon businesses that take advantage of this program. It is so much easier to do it right and Oregon OSHA has this great tool to help employers do it right. The SHARP program is very valuable and we recommend to all Oregon businesses that they should at least look into it and the benefits that they may gain from entering into the program.

PKE and Iberdrola Renewables would like to thank Oregon OSHA for having the foresight to be proactive in this manner.

Dennis Winn
Pacific Klamath Energy, SHARP Graduate/VPP Star Site

The SHARP program has saved this division of this company (Core-Mark International) over a third of a million dollars, as well as having saved employees from many months of unnecessary pain and suffering.

Through the savings generated by our involvement in SHARP, we have been able to afford many building and system upgrades.

It has been the backbone of production increases, higher building sanitation scores, lower employee turnover, increased employee morale and much employee recognition through the local and regional news media.

Jack Cooper, Division Operations Manager
Core-Mark International, SHARP Graduate

SAFETY FIRST AT TP TRUCKING. Want to know why that has not only become a buzz phrase but a motto here at TP Trucking? Well, here goes! From the top down here at Timber Products Company safety is a number one priority. Our leadership throughout the company has turned safety into a fun, competitive spirited daily process. You see Think Safety signs everywhere here at trucking and hear our people answering the phone by saying, 'Safety First At TP Trucking, Can I help you?' We have an active, visible safety committee with a waiting list of volunteers. Our employees look forward to what we call going to the movies when we show annual safety training videos, we actually have popcorn at times. And, we do live, hands on training. All of our people are required to put out an actual fire and demonstrate extinguisher use competency annually. We virtually have a safety component to everything we do day in and day out. Our people take safety seriously and are constantly aware because our leadership and management does. It’s like a successful sports team, if everyone buys into the team concept the results are always better...

Now, let me talk about those results. Our participation in the process to be certified as a SHARP company was the primary reason our team grew to be such a safety success story. That certification brought with it a great feeling of accomplishment and pride. Everyone feels like we are a cut above and are very proud of our status.

Safety compliance has become a part of our culture now and everyone works to not let that degrade in any way. Last but not least, impact on the bottom line. Our accident rate is one of the best in the industry. All of our insurance rates are at the absolute lowest according to Great West Casualty. They have awarded us Golden Safety awards for highway safety. Our workers' compensation claim rates are extremely low. We were awarded by our corporation for having the lowest incident rate among all divisions for the last two years, unheard of for a trucking division. In a nutshell it simply has a positive impact on virtually every aspect of our business, especially morale. It is one of the best things we have ever done!

Ron Tycer, General Manager
TP Trucking LLC, SHARP Graduate