CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., July 25, 2018 - Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, the industry’s largest manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and a leading manufacturer of dry freight vans, flatbeds, and Tautliner® curtainsided trailers, is pleased to announce that its Glade Spring, Virginia manufacturing plant has received a Plant Safety Award from Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Liberty Mutual’s Safety Awards are based on the days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rate, which is calculated from the number of hours worked relative to the number of accidents at the plant. Lower numbers of accidents result in lower DART rates.
In 2017, Utility’s Glade Spring plant had a DART rate of only 1.41, with nearly 1 million worked hours. The average DART rate for the trailer manufacturing industry is significantly higher, at 3.4. A Safety Commendation Award is presented for DART rates that are 50% or lower than the industry average rate.
“Being recognized by Liberty Mutual for this Safety Award was a great accomplishment. Only through total participation by the Glade Spring Team was this possible,” said Keith Walsh, Utility’s Glade Spring Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager.
“This is the 4th Liberty Safety Award for the Glade Spring plant. We couldn’t have achieved this Award without the continuous focus by our employees on safety,” said Bob Griffis, Corporate EHS Manager for Utility Trailer Manufacturing.
Sam Cassell, Utility’s Glade Spring Plant Manager stated: “The management team here at Glade Spring puts safety at the top of our daily agenda. If we do not place safety on our agenda and in our vision for the organization, it simply won’t happen. It does not stop there. This safety award represents the commitment and dedication of each member of the Glade Spring team. Those who build dry van trailers every day also make it part of their daily agenda. I cannot express how proud I am of each person on the shop floor.”
Richard Williams of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Risk Control Services, presented the Safety Award to a group of Glade Spring employees, on behalf of all Utility’s Glade Spring employees.