Utility’s Paragould, Arkansas Plant Wins the Gold

Liberty Mutual conferred its highest-level Safety Award on Utility’s Paragould, Arkansas manufacturing plant. Liberty Mutual’s Safety Awards are based on the Days away, Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate, which is calculated from the number of hours worked relative to the number of plant accidents. Lower accident numbers mean a lower DART rate.

In 2018, Paragould’s DART rate was 0.40, with over 1.49 million worked hours. The average DART rate for trailer manufacturers was significantly higher, at 3.9.

A Gold Safety Award is presented for DART rates 20% or lower than the industry rate, and Paragould’s DART rate was nearly 1/10th of that rate.

“We appreciate Liberty Mutual’s recognition. Our continually improving safety record over the past two decades reflects a commitment to safety that is deeply ingrained in our culture. Without the dedication of all of our employees and the support of management and ownership, a successful safety program is not possible,” said Sean Graddy, Utility’s Paragould Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager.

“The employees at Paragould remain diligent to create and maintain a safe workplace, and their efforts have again been recognized by Liberty Mutual with its highest honor. This is Paragould’s second Gold award, and Liberty Mutual grants very few of these. We are very proud of
every Paragould employee with receipt of now 13 Safety awards,” said Bob Griffis, Corporate EHS Manager for Utility Trailer Manufacturing.

David Neighbors, Utility’s Paragould Plant Manager added: “I credit our EMPLOYEES for embracing and expanding our culture of working safely. Our goal is ZERO accidents!” Dale Innis (CSP), of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Risk Control Services, presented the Safety Award to a group of Paragould employees.

Left of the sign (Left to Right) Scott Maxwell (HR Manager), Mike Gookin (Fabrication Shop), Ben Butler (EHS Tech.), Randy Upchurch (Quality Control), Christal Nash (Side Walls), Shawnlea Palmer (AX), Whitney
Buck (Supervisor). Right of the sign (left to right) Jim Ward (Material Handling), Daniel Cox (Supervisor), Jamie Cook (Quality Control), Ashton Harrell (Fabrication Shop), Chet Vaughn (Supervisor), Carey Adkins (Supervisor), Danny Hopkins (Doors) and Suzie Watkins (EHS Clerk).