Department of Commerce: Gov. Doyle Commends Weyerhauser Company for Earning Workplace Safety and Health Award

Contact:  Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608/267-9661

                Terry Moen, Wisconsin Health Consultation Program, 608/226-5239

MADISON – Gov. Jim Doyle today congratulated Weyerhaeuser Company, Green Bay, Brown County, for achieving the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  SHARP honors small and medium employers that operate exemplary safety and health management systems and maintain an injury and illness rate below the national averages for their industry.

“I commend Weyerhaeuser Company for joining the elite Wisconsin employers that operate exemplary safety and health management systems,” Gov. Doyle said. “This company has demonstrated a strong, ongoing commitment to the safety and health of its employees.”

“Weyerhaeuser Company has demonstrated that it makes good business sense to take a strong, proactive approach to employee health and safety,” said Department of Commerce Secretary Mary P. Burke.

“I am honored to help honor Green Bay‘s Weyerhaeuser Company with the SHARP award today,” said State Laboratory of Hygiene Director Ronald H. Laessig, Ph.D. “As one of just seven SHARP recipients in Wisconsin, this company clearly regards the health and safety of its employees as a top priority and is setting the standard for industry in our State.”

Weyerhaeuser Company is a worldwide manufacturer of wood, cellulose, paper and packaging products. The company met program requirements by requesting a full-service visit from both the Wisconsin Safety and Health Consultation Programs and correcting all identified hazards to safety and health.  It also implemented and maintains an active safety and health management system that includes the broad categories of management commitment, employee involvement, hazard identification and control, and training and evaluation.

The WiSCon Safety Consultation Program at the Department of Commerce assesses current safety programs and recommends improvements; evaluates physical work practices; identifies available assistance; and provides training and education for managers and employees, all at no cost to the business.  WiSCon consultants do not issue citations, propose penalties, or report possible safety violations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Contact the WiSCon office at 1-800-947-0553, or e-mail wiscon@commerce.wi.gov.

The Wisconsin Health Consultation Program provides free assistance to employers to establish and maintain a safe and healthful workplace. Consultants conduct on-site monitoring for chemical, biological, radiological, and physical hazards; perform ergonomic evaluation; assess the employer’s safety and health programs; and present occupational health-related training. This program, formerly in the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, is a unit of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and may be contacted by calling 608-226-5240 or e-mail  moente@mail.slh.wisc.edu for more information.

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