Stanley plant in N.C. celebrates 2-million-hour safety milestone
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 17, 2003
Robbinsville, N.C. — Employees at the Stanley Furniture plant here are celebrating the milestone of more than 2 million hours without a single lost-time accident.
This translates into more than two years in real time without a significant injury on the job. The company celebrated by giving all 550 employees of the plant commemorative shirts and jackets.
"We are extremely grateful to everyone at Stanley Furniture's Robbinsville plant who helped achieve this outstanding record of safety," said Jeffrey Scheffer, president and chief executive officer. "Safety is Stanley's No. 1 goal and it's clear that every one of our associates in Robbinsville is playing an active role in that ongoing effort."
According to the N.C. Department of Labor, manufacturing and construction have the highest rates for lost-time accidents among 11 industry categories, and the rate for furniture production is slightly higher than manufacturing as a whole.
"I've worked in this industry for nearly 40 years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a plant of this size reach this safety milestone," said Bob Chapman, Stanley's vice president of manufacturing. "The plant's Perfect Practice Safety Committee should be especially proud of its leadership. Our safety initiatives have been effective because all of our associates have really embraced the goal of reducing injuries."
