Working around molten metals at temperatures of 1,300 to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, employees of T&L Foundry in Glenpool, Oklahoma load metal melting furnaces, form molds for pouring metal into, and finish the final product using grinders and tumble blasters. It is a high-hard industry. The family-owned foundry - which produces non-ferrous castings, ranging from only a few ounces up to 1,000 pounds – was already dedicated to employee safety, but decided to do more.

Just in time for Workers Memorial Day, a new report from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health finds that the number of workers who died on the job is on the upswing. Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Preventable Deaths 2016,” reports that 4,821 workers died on the job from traumatic events in the workplace in 2014, a 5.1% increase from 4,585 deaths in 2013.

In 2003, Marianne McGee, compliance assistance specialist, USDOL-OSHA, was working in Corpus Christi, Texas and her team was trying to figure out a strategic management plan with one of the major goals of reducing fatalities in oil and gas, which is considered a high-hazard industry.