What could you accomplish in 603,191 hours? For employees at The Doe Run Company’s (Doe Run) Sweetwater Mill near Boss, Missouri, it adds up to 20 years with no lost-time accidents.
“Two decades with no lost time is a huge accomplishment,” said Gary Skaggs, mill superintendent at Sweetwater Mill. “These employees work in a challenging environment with heavy equipment. We’re extremely proud of the team’s dedication to working safely and helping each other. We congratulate them on reaching such an impressive milestone.”
The 15 employees at Sweetwater Mill attribute this achievement to a company culture that’s focused on safety, and the efforts of the long-tenured employees to share their experiences and knowledge.
“Those of us who have worked at the mill for years take responsibility for showing new employees how to stay safe,” said Jimmy Nash, who oversees the mill’s operations. “We work with our team members to show them how to perform tasks using a safe and productive method. The people here are a big reason I like working at Sweetwater Mill.”
Nash is one of two 20-year veterans who have helped Sweetwater Mill maintain its safe workplace. Through his nearly 40 years of experience, and family history in Missouri’s mining industry, Nash says he has learned the valuable lesson that safety starts at the beginning of every day and every job. For the employees at Sweetwater Mill, that has been the case for 7,209 days and counting.
“I always tell my team to slow down and pay attention,” said Nash. “It’s important not to hurry into anything because that’s when accidents can happen. We need to be safe from the beginning.”
That same thought is why a shift or a meeting at Doe Run begins with a safety tip to keep safety top-of-mind. Employee health and safety is a top priority for the company. Employees complete more than 16,500 hours of safety training every year.
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