Olympia Chimney Supply Inc. (Scranton, Pennsylvania), a leading designer and manufacturer of chimney venting systems, liners, and accessories, has qualified for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition program (SHARP) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). SHARP recognizes small-business employers who operate exemplary injury- and illness-prevention programs.

According to Anthony Tuttle, Olympia’s health, safety, and environment officer, Olympia began working with the Pennsylvania OSHA consultation program in February 2015. “The consultant identified issues with machine guarding and procedural documentation. We soon realized that we needed to build a new injury- and illness-management system from the ground up,” Tuttle says.

Over the next 16 months, Olympia worked diligently with OSHA officials to correct all identified issues, starting with physical changes to the equipment and, in some cases, complete equipment upgrades. This effort led to instituting formal policies, standard operating procedures, and direct-training programs, with input collected from every operator.

“Employees saw the changes being made and engaged with the safety efforts by joining our review and analysis meetings and sharing insights they gained from their hands-on experience,” Tuttle says. “By partnering with Pennsylvania OSHA and the OSHA on-site consultation SHARP, we not only exceed national standards for safety, but also stand out from our competitors as a best-in-class workplace.”