Norwalk, Conn. - The first company to be designated as an EMCOR Safety & Productivity partner is University Mechanical & Engineering Contractors in Tempe, Ariz. This new safety initiative, the EMCOR Safety & Productivity Program, expands beyond safety and health to incorporate other important aspects of business operation.
“I am very pleased that UMEC has been selected as the first operating company to become an EMCOR Safety & Productivity partner,” said Brad Thornton, president and CEO of UMEC. “This recognition lines up perfectly with our safety/quality/productivity philosophy and is a great tribute to the men and women of UMEC who strive day after day to continually improve. This program positions us well with our customers, who are expecting more and more in a competitive marketplace. We are looking forward to sharing our new status with them and explaining how our commitment and approach to safety, quality and productivity will benefit them further.”
The program, which designates EMCOR subsidiary companies that have earned SPP recognition, mirrors some aspects of OSHA's Voluntary Protection program. OSHA requires companies to have a comprehensive safety and heath management system, assessment against performance based criteria, external verification and a formal signed agreement.
“Like OSHA, our goal is improved worker safety and health,” explained Dave Copley, vice president of safety and quality management for EMCOR Construction and Facilities Services. “At the same time we want our customers to know that the technical expertise of our operations is underpinned by forward thinking support criteria and everyone gains an advantage as a result of our presence in the work environment. This benefit will be the safety of our workers, our drivers and other road users.”
The SPP is part of a multi-tiered integrated approach for improving safety, quality and productivity. These efforts include a zero accident program that covers all of EMCOR's 76 subsidiary companies and 30,000 employees, as well as initiatives designed to educate employees and their families.