Sherwin-Williams Purdy</h2

Organization: The Sherwin-Williams Purdy facility manufactures paintbrushes and roller covers.

Initiatives and accomplishments include:

  • Since 2008, the Purdy facility has been a Star site as part of Oregon OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), exemplifying the operation’s ongoing commitment to go above and beyond in addressing on-the-job safety and health.
  • Through their commitment to VPP, employees and managers collaborate to implement hazard prevention and control measures, worksite analysis to choose relevant topics, and safety training to enhance everyone’s understanding of how to perform work activities safely.
  • The Purdy facility puts safety first among its core values, with its safety management system – SW Cares – guiding the company’s safety process and philosophy. And the facility’s use of VPP addresses key elements, including incident investigation, hazard tracking and follow-up, safety committee involvement, and management commitment.
  • Managers show commitment to safety by changing their work schedules to be present during all work shifts; serving as champions of the site’s safety committees; conducting safety walks on the production floor to observe work tasks and to understand how to make work safer; and supporting all VPP and SW Cares elements.

We are committed to a strong safety and health program because:

Safety is important to our team for a wide range of personal reasons, but it all boils down to this: It’s about going home safe and sound to see your family, friends, and loved ones. If we view this dedication to safety and health as a promise to ourselves and our coworkers, it builds trust and fosters stability. Every year, our plant manager signs a renewed commitment to safety that is posted for all employees to see. Safety is not just another item on a to-do list or a priority for the day, it is a deeply held core belief that affects all actions at our site.

Our best advice for those seeking to develop an effective safety and health program is:

Employee engagement and management commitment remain the key elements to create and maintain a successful safety program at our site. We recognize that safety is an ongoing process, not a one-time achievement. By focusing on our process and finding ways to continually improve, we have helped our safety culture grow and endure.