Image

Caterpillar Inc. is named an America’s Safest Company Winner

Oct. 31, 2011
”Zero injuries – that’s our goal,” says Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar chairman and CEO, who also called safety “the most important order of business” at the company. “We simply will not be satisfied unless everyone gets safely home every single day.”

In 2003, Caterpillar Inc. redefined its vision for safety – a vision that subscribes to the belief that all accidents and injuries are preventable and that all employees, no matter where in the world they may work, are able to return home safely every day. Since instituting new safety programs and processes in recent years, Caterpillar has reaped the benefits: In 2010, 44 percent of facilities reached zero recordable injuries.

”Zero injuries – that’s our goal,” says Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar chairman and CEO, who also called safety “the most important order of business” at the company. “We simply will not be satisfied unless everyone gets safely home every single day.”

With a global reach that serves customers in more than 180 countries worldwide, and with a lost-time injury rate nearly threeand- a-half times lower than industry average, Caterpillar sets out to establish the gold standard within the industry for producing high-quality products safely and efficiently. All employees are encouraged to challenge waste, eliminate inefficiencies and deepen their understanding of their work’s true impact on the world.

Since its 2003 launch of an enterprisewide, strategic improvement project to address employee safety, Caterpillar has aspired to go beyond mere compliance, to attain a values-based culture, to develop a work environment all employees can take pride in and to create a company others respect and admire. The company’s EHS programs are designed to be flexible to allow each facility, no matter where it may be located worldwide, to implement programs and processes in a way that makes sense for the local culture, language and regulatory environment.

As part of its improvement project, Caterpillar launched four major safety initiatives in recent years:

The Safety Strategic Improvement Project (SIP) established clear roles and responsibilities for employees, supervisors and managers and introduced consistent enterprise safety metrics and targets, communications and training processes.

The Caterpillar Vision Zero safety program, launched in 2007, standardized several safety initiatives, including leadership accountability, employee learning, safety communications, safety evaluation and continuous improvement, leadership safety walks and employee recognition processes.

The Ergonomic SIP, launched in 2008, established common processes for facilities to identify and quantify ergonomic and safety risks through the use of standard evaluation tools.

Finally, the new EHS Assurance Manual, launched in 2011, identifies fundamental EHS issues and outlines 29 Essential Elements, which each feature minimum EHS requirements. These requirements apply to every facility within the company, no matter where in the world they operate and no matter what the local regulations are.

“Our work on safety will never be done,” Oberhelman says. “Every day we have to maintain our focus and recommit to making our workplace safe for everyone.”

Caterpillar Inc. accepting their awards at the American Safest Company awards ceremony at The Ritten House in Philadelphia, PA.

Read about this years America’s Safest Companies Winners

ACCO Brands Corp.
Lincolnshire, Ill.

Buffalo Gap Instrumentation & Electrical Co. Inc.
Buffalo Gap, Texas

Caterpillar Inc.
Peoria, Ill.

EnPro Industries
Charlotte, N.C.

EuroKera North America
Fountain Inn, S.C.

Fluor Corp.
Irving, Texas

Gribbins Insulation Co. Inc.
Evansville, Ind.

Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies LLC
Kansas City, Mo.

Kennametal Inc.
Latrobe, Pa.

Nalco Co.
Naperville, Ill.

Richard Goettle Inc.
Cincinnati

Savage Services
Salt Lake City

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

Sponsored Recommendations

Navigating ESG Risk in Your Supply Chain

Sept. 26, 2024
Discover the role of ESG in supply chains, from reducing carbon footprints to complying with new regulations and enhancing long-term business value.

Understanding ESG Risks in the Supply Chain

Sept. 26, 2024
Understand the critical role of ESG in supply chains, the risks for hiring companies, and the competitive edge suppliers gain by prioritizing sustainability.

Best Practices for Managing Subcontractor Risk

Sept. 26, 2024
Discover how to effectively manage subcontractor risk with unified strategies, enhanced oversight, and clear communication for consistent safety and compliance.

Building a Culture of Support: Suicide Prevention and Mental Health in the Workplace

Sept. 26, 2024
Find best practices for setting up an organizational culture that promotes positive mental health and suicide prevention.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!