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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-19-2002 - 5b 1 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 19, 2002 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Resolution Honoring General Electric Mebane Plant DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne Reid, ext 2326 Resolution General Information on NC Department TELEPHONE NUMBERS: of Labor Carolina Star Program Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To recognize the General Electric Mebane Plant, located in western Orange County, for its recent award from the North Carolina Department of Labor as a "NC Rising Star." The award was given in recognition of the plant's comprehensive and ongoing safety and health programs. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Department of Labor administers the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Program in the State of North Carolina. The Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) recognizes plants that attain high standards and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement in occupational safety and health. In ceremonies held on March 11, 2002, the General Electric Mebane plant received the VPP Rising Star award from NC Department of Labor officials. The attached resolution recognizes and honors General Electric Mebane for its achievement. General information on the Department of Labor's Carolina Star Program is attached for reference purposes. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the resolution and authorize the Chair to sign it. 2 � ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Resolution Honoring General Electric Mebane Plant WHEREAS, General Electric Industrial Systems opened a manufacturing facility in Mebane in 1973 which produces electrical distribution equipment; and WHEREAS, the General Electric Mebane plant is the largest private employer in Orange County, with over 700 employees; and WHEREAS, the General Electric Mebane plant pays consistently above-average wages for this area; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Labor has awarded the General Electric Mebane plant a "North Carolina Rising Star" award in recognition of the plant's comprehensive and ongoing safety and health programs; and WHEREAS, this award is the 100 ' time that General Electric has been recognized as an Occupational Safety and Health Voluntary Protection Program Star for one of its plants; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners recognizes and honors the commitment of the General Electric Mebane plant to the health and safety of its workforce. This the 19th day of March, 2002 Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners 4 significant chemical spills or leaks at Carolina Star sites according to established agency procedures. Participation in any of the programs does not diminish existing employer and employee responsibilities and rights under the act. In particular,'OSHNC does not intend to increase the liability of any party at an approved Carolina Star site. Employees or any representatives of employees taking part in an OSHNC-approved Carolina Star safety and health program do not assume the employer's statutory or common law responsibilities for providing safe and healthful workplaces; nor are employees and their representatives expected to guarantee a safe and healthful work environment. The programs included in Carolina Star are voluntary in the sense that no employer is required to participate, and any employer may choose to apply. Compliance with OSHNC rules and applicable laws remains mandatory. Initial achievement and then continuing maintenance of the Carolina Star requirements are conditions of participation. The commissioner of labor determines both approval for initial participation and advancement,in the Carolina Star Programs and any termination from the programs. B. Program Description The Carolina Star Programs emphasize the importance of comprehensive worksite safety and health programs--safety and health management systems--in meeting the goal of the act: "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women." This emphasis is demonstrated through assistance to employers in their efforts to reach the Carolina.Star Program level of excellence;through cooperation among government, labor, and management to resolve safety and health problems; and through official recognition of excellent safety and health programs. Carolina Star sites are not expected to be perfect, but they are expected to effectively protect their workers from the hazards of the workplace through their safety and health programs. They do this by meeting established,rigorous safety and health program management criteria. Carolina Star consists of three programs: Carolina Star,Rising Star, and Building Star. The Carolina Star Program recognizes worksites that are self-sufficient in their ability to control hazards at the worksite. The Rising Star Program recognizes worksites that have good safety and health programs but must take additional steps to reach Carolina Star quality. The Building Star Program recognizes construction worksites that have Carolina Star quality safety and health programs but require demonstration of approaches that differ from current Carolina Star requirements. When OSHNC approves an applicant for participation u the Carolina Star Programs, the agency recognizes that the applicant is providing, at a minimum, the basic elements of ongoing, systematic protection of workers at the site in accordance with rigorous Carolina 3-2 1 3 A. Purpose of the Carolina Star Programs OSHA has long recognized that compliance with occupational safety and health standards and regulations alone cannot accomplish all the goals of the act. Rules, no matter how carefully conceived and developed,will never cover all unsafe and unhealthful activities and conditions. Furthermore, limited resources will not permit regular or exhaustive inspections of all of the state's workplaces.No amount of rule setting and enforcement can replace the understanding of work processes, materials, and hazards that comes with employers' and employees' day-to-day, on-the-job experience. This knowledge, combined with the ability to evaluate and address hazards rapidly and to reinforce positive actions, places employers in a unique position to improve workplace safety and health in ways simply not available to OSHNC. The purpose of the Carolina Star Programs is to emphasize the importance of, encourage the improvement of, and recognize excellence in site-specific occupational safety and health programs. These programs are composed of management systems for preventing or controlling occupational hazards. Sites employing these systems not only are working to comply with OSHNC's rules,but also are striving to excel by using flexible and creative strategies that go beyond the rules to provide the best feasible protection for their workers. In the process,these worksites serve as models for effective safety and health programs in their industries. Moreover, the demonstrated workers' compensation cost reductions,reduced employee turnover, quality improvements, and other benefits to which Carolina Star worksites testify are helping to convince skeptics that productivity, quality, profitability, and safety are complementary goals. Carolina Star participants enter into a new relationship with OSHNC. In this innovative public/private partnership, cooperation and trust nourish improvements in safety and health,not just at Carolina Star sites but also beyond the worksite boundaries. The Carolina Star Programs and the Federal Voluntary Protection Program(VPP) companies have frequent opportunity to provide the state and federal agencies with input on safety and health matters. At the same time,the recognition and status gained by their participation in the Carolina Star Programs, and their commitment to improving their industries and communities, enable companies to accomplish a broad range of safety and health objectives. Carolina Star participants mentor other worksites interested in improving their safety and health programs; conduct safety and health training and outreach seminars; and hold safety and health conferences that focus on leading-edge safety and health issues. Worksites in the Carolina Star Programs are removed from programmed inspection lists for a period based on theire of program participation, unless they choose to remain on the lists. This helps OSHNC to focus its inspection resources on establishments that are less likely to meet the requirements of the OSHNC rules. However, OSHNC continues to investigate valid employee safety and health complaints, fatalities and catastrophes, and 3-1 t 5 Star criteria. This protection makes routine OSHNC enforcement efforts unnecessary. Therefore, the site is removed from OSHNC's programmed inspection lists for a duration period based on its type of program participation (unless the participant chooses not to be removed). The Carolina Star symbols of recognition are certificates and plaques of approval and flags identifying the program in which the site participates. The participant also may choose to use program logos on such items as letterhead, shirts, and mugs. Carolina Star participants work cooperatively with the OSHNC staff,both in the resolution of safety and health problems and in the promotion of effective safety and health programs. This cooperation takes such forms as presentations before meetings of labor, industry, and government groups; input in the development of OSHNC rules; and participation in activities including OSHNC staff,mentoring, outreach, and training. C. The Carolina Star Program The Carolina Star Program recognizes leaders in occupational safety and health who are successfully protecting workers from death, injury, and illness by implementing comprehensive and effective safety and health programs. Carolina Star participants willingly share their experience and expertise, and they encourage others to work toward comparable success. These worksites are self-sufficient in their ability to control hazards at their worksites. Note: The Carolina Star Program is not designed for the construction industry. However, onsite contractors, temporary agencies, etc., may apply if they receive written support from the site's owner and they have been working onsite for at least 12 months. 1. Qualifications for the Carolina Star Program a. Injury and Illness Rates. The general industry,private sector, or public sector applicant at the time of approval must meet the following criteria: The most recent three-year average for both the injury and illness incidence rates and the lost/restricted workday injury and illness case rates must be at or below 50 percent of the most recent published state rate for the appropriate Standard Industrial Classification using a 4-digit or a 3-digit if needed SIC rate. Applicants with less than three years experience shall be considered based on total experience provided that such experience shall not be less than 12 months.Also include rates and work hours for any contractor, temporary, or miscellaneous employees who have worked 500 or more hours in any calendar quarter at that site. If neither rate is available, then refer to the most recent published federal BLS rate using a 4-digit or if needed a 3-digit rate. Note: use the injury and illness table rates. 3-3