Safety Today

Surprise inspection

Winston-Salem, N.C. – “Whenever you have an OSHA inspection, there’s a sense of anxiety that goes along with it,” said Terry Feeney, manager of WM’s Winston-Salem recycling center. This came after his facility received a surprise inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

For two days, the agency scanned every nook and cranny, audited each safety program and conducted employee interviews. After all was said and done, Winston-Salem didn’t just pass the inspection — it excelled. From randomly interviewing employees, the OSHA representative was amazed at how everyone knew the different work stations, equipment and procedures. In fact, the inspector remarked it was one of the best safety programs he had seen while on the job.

“It really takes a team of folks to achieve a result like that,” Feeney said. “From Lean Manufacturing to our brokerage team and, of course, to our employees – everyone contributes to the success of our safety culture.”