Background:
With approximately 200 operating
facilities, Nucor Corporation is the largest manufacturer of steel products in
North America – producing more than 26 million tons of steel into thousands of
applications in 2008 alone. Nucor believes in the philosophy that a company's
success is built on treating team members well which starts with the assurance
that every team member goes home safely to their families every day.
The company also believes that being safe on the job is smart business because
great safety records tend to correlate with improved quality, productivity, and
morale – as well as decreased costs. Every Nucor division has a safety
coordinator and twice a year these safety coordinators hold a meeting to share
information, best practices, new trends, and/or take training. Each division
also has a variety of safety committees comprised of team members from different
Nucor departments who also meet on a consistent basis to discuss current safety
and health issues.
To demonstrate the importance of this philosophy, Nucor created its annual
President's Safety Award which is presented each year to the divisions that are
67 percent below the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) national average for this
industry. Despite the strict criteria, it is typical for at least 50 percent of
Nucor's divisions to win this award each year.
The emphasis on making safety its #1 priority has led five Nucor divisions to
attain approval to participate in the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP),
OSHA's premier recognition program. These participants are located in Norfolk,
NE (May 2007); Seattle, WA (September 2007); Tuscaloosa, AL (April 2009);
Marion, OH (July 2009); and Decatur, AL (September 2009). The following Nucor
divisions have submitted their VPP applications, received their onsite
evaluations, and are currently awaiting approval status: Crawfordsville, IN
(March 2009); Jewett, TX (July 2009); and Hickman, AR (August 2009). In
addition, three Nucor divisions are participants in the Safety and Health
Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), a recognition program administered by
the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation: Nucor Building
Systems, Nucor Steel, and Nucor Cold Finish. And finally, the Nucor Steel
Hertford County division attained Carolina STAR status in the Carolina Safety
Program, administered by the North Carolina Department of Labor.
Success Impact:
Case Study: Nucor Decatur
Located in north-Alabama, the Nucor Decatur facility recycles scrap metal to
produce steel coils. Originally owned by Trico, the steel mill was acquired by
Nucor Corporation in 2002. In 2004, the Cold Mill was acquired to allow full
cold-rolled processing; in 2008, a state of the art galvanizing facility was
constructed to complete the processing capabilities. The facility utilizes
full-time mechanical, piping, electrical, heating ventilation and air
conditioning, janitorial, security and waste handling services which operates
seven days a week, 24 hours a day with rotating shifts. The management team at
Nucor Decatur – aware of other Nucor divisions attaining VPP status or
submitting applications to the program – made a verbal and written commitment
that their own facility would strengthen their safety and health management
system and seek VPP recognition. The team felt confident that the safety at
Nucor Decatur was good – but they wanted it to be great and recognized by OSHA
as one of the best. Nucor Decatur began preparing to apply to the VPP during the
early summer of 2008. Nucor Decatur received its VPP onsite evaluation in April 2009 and is hoping to
be recognized by OSHA as a new VPP Star participant in the near future.
The Evolution of Safety at Nucor Decatur - VPP Application Process is Ultimate
Team Building Exercise
When the Decatur division first started the process of applying to VPP, their
goal was to be recognized as a VPP participant and fly the VPP Star flag, but
what actually happened was an evolution of safety. VPP sparked a process of
improvement that turned into the ultimate "team building exercise". One of the
team members commented, "Before VPP, I thought we were good at safety - but we
were really just ok!"
Nucor Decatur's VPP application process first began by organizing a plant-wide
"VPP team" comprised of a diverse group of team members that included
management, maintenance, operators, office personnel, and contractors. In
addition to this large group, 15 "specialized safety teams" were also organized
for the purpose of improving the facility's current safety and health management
system. Each safety team was given a specific objective but little instruction
on how to accomplish it. Due to the freedom and flexibility allowed, each team
came up with solutions to problems that resulted from discovering their own path
to VPP. This freedom also helped the teams to sustain confidence and build
momentum, and excitement was in the air as the date of the VPP onsite evaluation
approached. This evolution of safety continued to increase as each team member
sincerely believed in what they were doing and had the management commitment and
support to complete their objectives.
The Decatur team asked Charlie Morecraft, a safety motivational speaker, "How do
you make a safety program great?" He replied, "That's simple, you must make it
personal." Therefore, during the VPP onsite evaluation, the team did just that –
made it personal. The pride and excitement of the team members were clearly
evident during the onsite evaluation. Many became emotional during their safety
presentations which was not something previously scripted - it was simply a part
of the facility's safety evolution.
When everyone involved believes in the cause, it becomes part of who they are.
When the OSHA onsite evaluation team suggested that the facility's signage be
raised to make fire extinguishers more visible, the team built and installed new
signs in just hours. Nucor Decatur facility's three year Total Case Incidence
Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate for the period
2006-2008 were 0.8 and 0.5, respectively – resulting in a TCIR 83 percent below
and a DART rate 80 percent below the 2007 BLS national average for this
industry.
"Did we go overboard with the presentations and preparation for
VPP? You are darn right we did! VPP is all about ‘above and beyond'
and that is where you get your return. It's not just about flying the
flag – it's giving the team a vision, a goal, and the means for attacking
it. This was the ultimate team building exercise for us – 700 team
members – focused on one objective. It was truly an ‘evolution of safety'
for Decatur - in that we thought we were good. We want to be great.
The journey is not over. We will continually improve our safety and
health management system. The goal is still zero and we truly believe
that we must improve each and every day to get there."
-- VPP Nucor Decatur Safety Team
Nucor Decatur was approved by OSHA as a VPP New Star participant in September
2009.
Origin: Region IV, Trinity, Alabama
Entered VPP: September 2009
Industry Description (NAICS Code): Iron and Steel Mills (331111)
Employees: 800 team members (700 team members + 100 contractor team members)
Source / Date: George Stephenson, Safety Facilitator, on behalf of VPP Nucor
Decatur Safety Team / August 2009 (story updated September 2009)
Nucor Decatur (2009)
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