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Crookston, Minnesota; April 4, 2005; –Minnesota Safety Council has awarded a Governor’s Safety Award to New Flyer’s Crookston Manufacturing Facility for excellence in workplace safety and health.
New Flyer will be recognized at the Governor’s Safety Awards luncheon at the Minneapolis Convention Center on May 13, 2005 for receiving the Meritorious Achievement Award for Occupational Safety. New Flyer is one of 214 employers (out of 483 entrants) who will be honored as part of the 71st Minnesota Safety & Health Conference coordinated by the Minnesota Safety Council. The conference is the oldest and largest gathering of workplace safety and health professionals in the region.
"Workplace injuries and deaths are a personal and company tragedy, and a financial burden that no business needs," said Carol Bufton, president of the Minnesota Safety Council. "Smart employers like New Flyer understand that a commitment to safety benefits both employees and the bottom line."
Phil Sprague, Crookston Plant Manager said, "Safety is everyone’s responsibility, every day and every task. Without safety first we will not be able to operate at peak performance for the long haul. Safety must be practiced at all levels within our plant to be effective, from the installer to the manager level. We all own it."
New Flyer’s ongoing commitment to a safer work environment is evident by the improvements in its safety statistics. New Flyer’s Crookston facility experienced an 84% reduction in its time-loss rate since 2002.
Similarly, over the same period, New Flyer’s St. Cloud, Minnesota facility has reduced its WCB claims by 52% and its already low time-lost rate by 14%. New Flyer’s headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba has experienced a 43% reduction in WCB claims (an 83% reduction over the last four years) and a 68% reduction in its time-loss rate. Further reductions are targeted for 2005.
The Crookston facility was opened in 1996 and employs over 240 people. The plant has two assembly lines that complete final assemblies of New Flyer buses.
"Safety lies at the foundation of what we do, and, as a significant employer in two Minnesota communities, we are very pleased to have our efforts acknowledged," said John Marinucci, President and CEO of New Flyer. "Without a safe work environment, we would not be able to deliver the quality products and services our customers demand or attract and retain talented employees."
New Flyer’s leadership in health and safety has recently been recognized in Canada by The Workers Compensation Board as a significant and positive driving force behind the their success in achieving their SAFE Work goals. New Flyer’s Executive Safety Committee developed partnerships with state and provincial safety boards to facilitate improved safety training and promote a health and safety culture throughout the organization. Strict processes are in place and every employee has been challenged with identifying, reporting, and correcting safety issues before they result in injuries.
New Flyer’s Environmental Management System will achieve ISO 14001 certification by Q-3, 2005. New Flyer is committed to OHSAS 18001 certification of its Occupational Health and Safety Management System in 2006.
Dan Chaney, Safety Coordinator at the Crookston facility, credited organizational support for the substantial improvements. "Improved communication up and down within the organization coupled with daily safety topic discussions at the start of each shift are resulting in the huge improvements in the safety culture throughout the plant. The safety culture and attitude of all employees has had a direct, positive impact on injury rates."About New Flyer
New Flyer is North America’s largest manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses with a skilled workforce of over 1900 employees. New Flyer began manufacturing buses in 1930 and is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with additional production facilities in St. Cloud and Crookston, Minnesota. All facilities have been ISO 9001:2000 certified since 1998. New Flyer is the technology leader in the heavy-duty transit market with innovative firsts such as low floor buses, programmable logic control electrical systems and articulated high and low floor buses. In addition to these innovative solutions, the company offers the broadest product line in the industry, including drive systems powered by clean diesel, LNG, CNG and electric trolley. New Flyer is also the largest manufacturer of gasoline and diesel-electric hybrid vehicles to address ever-growing emission and fuel conservation concerns. All of New Flyer’s quality and reliable products are supported with an industry-leading, comprehensive parts and service network.
For additional information, visit our website at www.newflyer.com or call Paul Smith, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at (204) 224-6379.
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