EGC Critical Components, a designer and manufacturer of custom-engineered polymer components for performance-critical applications, has just announced a major milestone: one million hours without a lost time incident.
Transcending the workplace
Although the company says its priority is to ensure that our people go home the same way they came to work, it’s goal actually goes beyond that: to have the EGC safety culture transcend past the workplace and into the employee's personal life.;
“EGC has implemented a culture of business and operational excellence, supporting our continued improvement of health, safety, and environment (HSE),” according to a statement from the company. “The groundwork of a successful workplace safety effort is one that is built on best practices and incorporates every team member.”
“Safety is personal”
How did they do it?
EGC Components provides training and certification to all team members. Every employee goes through a safety orientation during onboarding, and is required to stay current with monthly, quarterly and yearly refresher courses. In addition, EGC has a team of trained first responders on site ranging from shop to office personnel. "It is important that our people understand the importance of safety and our HSE culture," says Steven Roesel, HSE Specialist at EGC Critical Components. "Each person understands that safety is personal, and has the authority to stop operations if there is a safety issue.";
EGC created a stop work policy to ensure that all people feel safe, and was implemented so that any person can immediately stop work if there is a safety hazard. This policy is relevant to every employee, and includes non-EGC site visitors. All visitors are given a brief safety orientation that includes an observation handout card to record notable issues. These cards are then given to the EGC safety committee, who will review and provide improvement recommendations if needed.
EGC components safety culture also instills the importance to keep safety on the forefront by having a safety moment at the beginning of every meeting. This mentality has helped EGC to continue trending below the industry annual average lost time injury rate. This is significant because not only does it mean our people are safe, but our customers are getting the highest standard of safety, quality, and reliability.
People are the #1 asset
"One million hours without a lost time incident is a momentous milestone for our company, as it showcases that the team has embraced our culture of operational excellence. Our people are our number one asset, so safety is our priority," says Michael Boylan, Managing Director at EGC Critical Components. "We are continuously improving, and are looking forward to the two-million-man hour mark without a lost time injury.";
The company says it has set new benchmarks to create a higher standard of safety as part of its journey of continuous improvement. EGC's parent company, Fenner, plc, plans to be onsite later this year to present an award for this great accomplishment.
About EGC Critical Components
Founded in 1959, EGC Critical Components is the leader in custom-engineered polymer components for performance-critical applications. We design, engineer, and manufacture thermoplastic and elastomeric components from small, 1/8" hearing aid parts to large, 100" wind turbines. EGC Components delivers customizable solutions to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for a variety of industries including general industry, chemical processing, refinery, power generation, nuclear, aerospace and defense, semiconductor, and medical equipment. EGC Critical Components is part of the global group Fenner PLC. ;For more information, visit the company's website at www.egccomponents.com
