Home » Jackson earns SHARP status for excellence in safety and health

Jackson earns SHARP status for excellence in safety and health

Only SHARP site in Knox County

GRAY, Ky. (May 27, 2015) — Kentucky Labor Cabinet officials presented Jackson WWS Inc. a plaque and a flag signifying the company’s certification under the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

Jackson-BadgeThe facility is one of 24 active SHARP sites in Kentucky and the only one in Knox County.

Jackson has more than 170 employees at the facility and more than 220 employees overall. Jackson is a full-line supplier of high-quality commercial dish and glass washing machines.

To qualify for SHARP designation, an employer must undergo a comprehensive evaluation and series of audits, correct any identified hazards, demonstrate that effective safety and health programs are in place, and maintain injury rates below the national average for its industry for the last three years.

The national average for Jackson’s industry is approximately 2.9 total recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time employees for one year. Jackson has an incident rate of 2.7 for the past three years.

The U.S. Department of Labor designed SHARP to encourage and recognize excellence in occupational safety and health among employers and create a proactive partnership with its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Although companies must meet federal standards for the program, the Kentucky Labor Cabinet presents the award, as Kentucky has operated its own federally-approved Occupational Safety and Health (KY OSH) program for more than 40 years.

Companies must have a safety and health program that involves all employees in finding and correcting existing or possible future hazards as they develop. SHARP’s certification is good for two years, and then the company is eligible for renewal. A company is exempted from scheduled KY OSH compliance inspections during the certification period, but partners with KY OSH to continue improving its safety program.