Microfibres honored for health, safety effort
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 2, 2004
Winston-Salem, N.C. — Microfibres, a supplier of nylon velvet upholstery fabric, has been recognized for its commitment to workplace health and safety with a Carolina Rising Star Safety Award from the North Carolina Department of Labor.
The award requires that a worksite's three-year average recordable and lost-time accident rate must be below the most recent state rate for all textile industries. The Winston-Salem Microfibres plant is 43.6% below the state average.
Company employees led the effort to achieve Rising Star status. Last year, Microfibres invested more than 2,160 hours in training and 200 hours in safety audits. Employees learned CPR and first aid, as well as how to respond to tornadoes, fires and emergency spills.
The time and resources were well spent, said Dave Hughston, corporate safety and environmental director.
"Besides the fact that it's the ethical thing to do, the number of accidents has dramatically decreased and our premiums for workers' compensation have decreased as well," he said. "The savings go directly to the bottom line."
