CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., June 13, 2017 – 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 Paragould, Arkansas dry van manufacturing plant has received a Plant Safety Award from Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Utility’s Paragould, Arkansas trailer manufacturing plant was recently presented the Liberty Mutual Silver Safety Award. 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 2016, Utility’s Paragould plant had a DART rate of only 1.66, with over 1.3 million worked hours. The average DART rate for the trailer manufacturing industry was significantly higher, at 4.3. A Silver Safety Award is presented for DART rates of 40% or lower of the industry rate.
“We strive to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Without the hard work of all of our employees, and the continued support from our Management and Owners, this would not be possible,” said Sean Graddy, Utility’s Paragould Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager.
“Year after year, the Paragould plant has continued to maintain an exemplary safety record, and has now been recognized with its 11th Liberty Mutual Safety Award. In fact, 9 of these 11 awards have been either Silver or Gold, which is a huge achievement,” said Bob Griffis, Corporate EHS Manager for Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company.
David Neighbors, Utility’s Paragould Plant Manager stated: “I am very proud of our team’s dedication to safety. And, I appreciate the recognition by our partner, Liberty Mutual, of this achievement, which is the result of all of us working together to be safe.”
Dale Innis (CSP), of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Risk Control Services, presented the Safety Award to a group of Paragould employees representing the plant. “Liberty Mutual would like congratulate the employees and Management for outstanding safety performance to achieve this award,” said Innis. “Everyone at Utility Trailer – Paragould, Arkansas should be proud of this achievement. On behalf of Liberty Mutual Insurance – Congratulations!”