The SafetyWorks! program of the Maine Dept. of Labor has awarded Hodgdon Yachts the Pine Tree Award in recognition of the company’s ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety and health at its East Boothbay facility.
The company has partnered with SafetyWorks! over the last couple of years to identify and address hazards at their site and develop a comprehensive safety and health management program.
The company is working toward certification under the OSHA Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
“We’ve been impressed by Hodgdon Yachts commitment to making their site a safer and healthier workplace for its employees and we look forward to continuing to work with the company as it seeks SHARP certification,” said Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman.
The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) offers incentives to private sector employers that take a proactive approach to workplace safety. The SHARP certificate is granted to employers who have demonstrated exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health by receiving a comprehensive safety and health consultation visit, correcting all workplace safety and health hazards, adopting and implementing effective safety and health management systems, and agreeing to request further consultative visits if major changes in working conditions or processes occur that may introduce new hazards.
Employers meeting these specific program requirements may be exempt from general scheduled OSHA inspections for one year.
Hodgdon Yachts produces high quality custom built composite yachts as well as military vessels, mega yachts, and hand crafted custom yacht interiors.
“We are very proud to be the recipient of this award as we have worked very hard to improve safety in our facilities. Through employee involvement at all levels, work with our insurance carrier, other vendors, and SafetyWorks, we have made great strides,” said Hodgdon Yachts Safety Manager Jeremy Pare.
SafetyWorks! is an outreach program of the Maine Dept. of Labor designed to reduce job-related injuries, illnesses and deaths. The program provided safety and health training to over 10,000 Maine workers last year and consultation services to hundreds of employers. SafetyWorks! services are voluntary and offered free of charge.
For more information about the SHARP program or any of the other free safety and health services offered by the Maine Dept. of Labor SafetyWorks! program, call 623-7900 (TTY: 1-800-794-1110) or visit www.safetyworksmaine.com.