Working 17 years without a lost-time accident is a record anyone would boast and one that very few achieve. But that’s exactly what Cal Ripken Jr. did when he played in 2,632 consecutive games and why his streak with the Baltimore Orioles is legendary.

Northern Safety & Industrial, a large privately-owned company specializing in safety and other industrial products, recognized Ripken’s achievement of more than 6,200 safe working days and was excited to add Ripken to its roster.

“The core values Cal possesses directly mirror the core values we live by at Northern Safety,” said Sal Longo, founder and CEO of Northern Safety. “His dedication and commitment to keeping himself safe and ready to play embodies our message of safety in the workplace. That’s the message he’s helping us get out to our customers, and we’re thrilled to have him on our team.”

As part of the program “Leadership and Safety in the Workplace,” Ripken and Longo appeared before the employees of Eastman Chemical, CITGO Corpus Christi, NuCor Steel, Cactus Drilling, CITGO Lake Charles, Blessey Marine, the Oklahoma City Fire Department and HydroChem LLC.

Ripken’s program derived from his book, “Get in the Game,” shows how the fundamentals of safety are universal. He talks about consistency, passion and the right approach, among other qualities and values, and draws on the experiences from his incredible career to show the relationship between baseball and safety.

Specializing in safety

Spreading the message of safety is something Northern Safety has been doing since 1983. For more than 30 years, the company has been helping to keep America’s workers safe and more productive, and Northern Safety encourages its customers to be proactive and stay ahead of the game. The company’s technical support representatives and account managers are highly trained and ready to assist their customers with questions about products, industry regulations and workplace safety. In fact, every member of these teams spends 12 weeks of his first six months of employment in thorough intensive training programs focusing on product knowledge and customer service.

Safety is always an issue in the marine and oil and gas industries. Having the right safety products for each worker keeps him safe and also boosts morale because the worker feels safer on the job. As it’s becoming more and more crucial for companies to build a résumé of safety, a high incident record can be devastating to business. Northern Safety has the products these companies need to provide head-to-toe protection. It not only specializes in providing gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, protective suits and footwear but also the niche products so imperative to protect an entire crew against industrial, water-borne, manufacturing and other hazards.

Manufacturer of industry-specific products

Northern Safety seeks to be a complete supplier for its brown water and blue water customers, and it is growing to meet their ever-changing demands. Its line of quality rigging products, barge line fittings, flame screens and gangways are only part of Northern Safety’s offering. It also makes repairs on compressors, pumps and generators, and performs hydrostatic testing and fuel hose recertification. Complementing its products and services is its capacity to work with customers to make sure they’re getting exactly what they need for their particular operation and location. It’s a winning combination that carries on its tradition of quality and integrity.

New custom imprinting service

A longstanding commitment to its customers inspired Northern Safety’s new Custom Express Printing service. “We’re always looking for new ways to serve our customers,” stated Longo. “Customizing products increases compliance in the workplace, helps reduce injuries and identifies workers on a jobsite. We’re providing screen printing, pad printing and embroidery service better, faster and more cost effectively than anyone else in the business.”

Northern Safety invested in extensive research, top-of-the-line equipment, and most importantly, a well-trained staff specializing in printing and embroidery. Since its start, the product line for Custom Express Printing has doubled. Its offering includes hard hats, safety vests, eyewear, T-shirts, gloves, coveralls, jackets, hats, duffel bags, polos, rainwear, first aid kits, work wear and more.

Gloves emblazoned with “Watch Your Fingers” or “Safety First” serve as reminders for crew members. Elevated awareness can reduce serious injuries. Jackets and hard hats sporting a company logo quickly identify people and can serve as a way to know at a glance who is where, and more importantly, if they are where they should be.

New locations in the South, Gulf Coast regions

A-Z Marine Supply in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, joined the Northern Safety family in August, 2014, bringing 30 years’ experience in providing marine and safety supplies to the brown water markets.

In addition, Northern Safety now has five locations in Texas. Newly opened Longview complements its presence in La Porte, Alice, Nederland and Corpus Christi. Together with its Lake Charles, Louisiana; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, sites, Northern Safety continues to expand its service areas in these regions. Convenient locations and easy accessibility to its customers reduce shipping costs and quicken response time to meet customers’ needs.

“We’re excited about what these new locations will mean to our Gulf Coast and Midwest customers,” said Longo. “We know how important it is to any business to have the supplies you need when you need them. These new locations mean our customers will be able to get the supplies they need more quickly than before.”

Northern Safety is also looking forward to broadening compressor and pump distributorships and becoming a well-rounded, full-service supplier that can meet its customers’ needs and exceed their expectations.