Has had no work-related injuries or illnesses in the last six years
OWENSBORO, Ky. (Jan. 29, 2015) — Kentucky Labor Cabinet Deputy Secretary Rocky Comito today presented River Metals Recycling (RMR) Owensboro a plaque and a flag signifying the company’s certification under the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
The facility, which has had no had no work-related injuries or illnesses in the last six years, joins River Metals Recycling in Newport as one of only 24 active SHARP sites in Kentucky—and the only one in Owensboro.
Formed in 1998, RMR is the largest scrap recycler in Kentucky, employing nearly 300 people. Including the Owensboro facility, the company has nine locations in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
With 11 employees, the RMR Owensboro facility specializes in scrap recycling services for households, tradesmen and businesses. The Owensboro recycling center buys ferrous scrap as well as common household nonferrous scrap metal items like aluminum cans and other aluminum, stainless steel, copper and brass product, and operates a car crusher on site.
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.
RMR Owensboro has an incident rate of zero for the past six years. The national average for the metals recycling industry is approximately 3.5 total injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work, restricted activity or transferred to another job, per 100 full-time employees for one year.
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 continue striving to improve their safety program.
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