Four Maine employers received safety certification under the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Award (SHARP) program, according the state Department of Labor.
The four businesses were Lyman-Morse Fabrication in Thomaston, Johanson Boatworks in Rockland, French & Webb in Belfast and Marden’s in Sanford.
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Fewer than 2,000 worksites in the United States have earned SHARP certification.
The certification recognizes businesses that voluntary go through a safety achievement program. Acceptance into SHARP by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recognizes the business as a model for worksite safety and health standards, the department said.
“We congratulate these businesses and our other 49 SHARP locations for becoming SHARP certified,” Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette said. “These companies know that keeping workers safe is not only good for the people of Maine, but also good for their businesses. Better safety means less lost time due to injury and illness as well as lower workers’ comp costs.”
To qualify for the certification, companies must go through a safety audit, correct all hazards identified during an onsite health and safety consultation, demonstrate that effective safety and health programs are in place and maintain injury rates below the industry average for the last year of completed data.
After awarding the SHARP designation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) removes the worksite from its general scheduled inspection list for two years.
If the company continues to meet all conditions of the program, the SHARP designation may be renewed for another two years.
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