Salem, OR — Gerding Builders, a Corvallis-based commercial general contractor, and its sister company, TGC Structural, a carpentry and specialty concrete contractor, have strengthened their commitment to workplace health and safety, achieving first-year certification as part of Oregon OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
SHARP, primarily set up to help small- and mid-sized businesses, coaches employers on how to effectively manage workplace safety and health. The program encourages Oregon employers to work with their employees to identify and correct hazards and to continuously improve. In turn, companies are recognized for their success in reaching specific benchmarks during the five-year program. An employer may graduate from SHARP after five years of participation.
Gerding Builders and TGC Structural began the SHARP process in February 2022.
One of the most important core values for the companies is ensuring that everyone goes home safe every day, said Corporate Safety Manager Roy Shawgo. “This includes not only our employees, but all who work on our job sites. It’s important to us as a company to take the next step in keeping our workforce safe. SHARP has helped us work closer with our crews to identify and correct potential hazards.”
Shawgo said he is impressed by the guidance provided by Oregon OSHA consultants. “It was hard work, but they walked us through each step,” he said. “What we didn’t understand, they took the time to explain it and assisted with it. I look forward to working with them over the next four years.”
SHARP encourages Oregon employers to work with their employees to identify and correct hazards, and develop and implement effective safety and health programs. The benefits of the program, which is part of Oregon OSHA’s consultation services, include lower injury and illness rates, decreased workers’ compensation costs, increased employee morale, and lower product losses.
Learn more about SHARP and Oregon OSHA’s free confidential consultation services, which include hazard assessments, recommendations to control and eliminate hazards, written program evaluation, and hands-on training. Consultations involve no fault, no citations, and no penalties. Oregon OSHA consultants in workplace safety, industrial hygiene, and ergonomics can help employers reduce accidents and related costs, and develop comprehensive programs to manage safety and health.