Nucor Building Systems Joins South Carolina Palmetto Star Program
Nucor Building Systems, located in Swansea, has achieved Palmetto Star certification with OSHA's South Carolina Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
The Palmetto Star Voluntary Protection Program is a voluntary program that provides recognition to qualified employers who exceed the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 in providing their workers a safe and healthy worksite. To qualify, an applicant must demonstrate management's commitment to safety, assess hazards that may be present within the workplace, maintain a system for hazard correction and control, provide employees safety and health training, and assure employee participation in safety and health programs. Finally, the company must have a total injury/illness incident rate and a total lost workday incident rate that is 50 percent or below the state average for the applicant's industry for each of the last three years.
Nucor Building Systems previously achieved certification for OSHA's S.C. Safety Health and Achievement Program (SHARP) and worked closely with OSHA Voluntary Programs for 18 months towards the goal of obtaining VPP status. Nucor Building Systems is the first manufacturing facility to successfully make that transition.
Nucor Building Systems manufactures metal building systems used mainly by the commercial construction industry and has 250 full time employees operating three shifts. They have maintained a workplace injury and illness rate that is 60 percent below the South Carolina BLS average for the architectural and structural metals manufacturing industry.
VPP Coordinator Sharon Dumit said the VPP team reviewed 19 program elements, including management's commitment to safety, employee participation, self-inspection, safety and health training, emergency programs and drills, and preventive maintenance.
"Nucor Building System's management and employees have made an exceptional commitment to workplace safety and health," Dumit said. "This is reflected in the team atmosphere and overall enthusiasm and pride of the employees at the facility."
Nucor Building Systems held a catered luncheon at Seawell's for employees and contractors to celebrate their new status as a S.C. Palmetto Star.