WASHINGTON — The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has recognized four U.S. tire makers with Safety and Health Improvement (SHIP) awards for excellence and improvements in worker health and safety.
The four companies recognized were: Bridgestone Americas Inc.; Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.; Goodyear; and Michelin North America Inc.
Michelin received four SHIP "Excellence" awards for its plants in Columbia, Greenville and Starr, S.C., and Midland City, Ala., the RMA said.
The Excellence category is for tire plants that have achieved a days away restricted transfer (DART) rate 75 percent or better than the average achieved by all plants that provided data to the RMA, the association said.
Twelve more facilities won Improvement awards, signifying that their DART rates are both 10 percent better than the previous year and the same or better than the RMA average incidence rate, the RMA said.
"RMA members are committed to promoting a strong safety culture at their company facilities," said Anne Forristall Luke, RMA president and CEO. "RMA's annual SHIP Award recognizes these efforts that achieve measureable advancements in worker safety."
The Improvement winners are:
- Bridgestone — Bloomington, Ill.; Long Beach, Calif.; Warren County, Tenn.; and Wilson, N.C.
- Cooper — Tupelo, Miss.
- Goodyear — Lawton, Okla., and Akron;
- Michelin — Ardmore, Okla.; Asheboro and Norwood, N.C.; and Greenville and Sandy Springs, S.C.
Created in 1981, the SHIP awards recognize RMA members companies for their demonstrated commitment to worker health and safety, the association said.