Safety Milestone Reached at Bridgestone’s Wilson, US Plant

The reaching of a million man-hours without a recorded ‘losttime’ accident has been described as a “major safety milestone” for the Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) tyre factory in Wilson, North Carolina. The Wilson plant, which produces passenger car and light truck tyres and has a staff of more than 1,800, is the eighth Bridgestone Americas facility to reach this milestone in 2009, making it a record year for the company.

“This is a significant achievement that illustrates how seriously our team mates are committed to safety,” said Bob Walker, vice president, Health, Safety and Industrial Hygiene at parent company Bridgestone Americas. “Congratulations to the Wilson facility for its outstanding results and continuous improvement in safety.”

The achievement of a million accident free man-hours is not the first safety-related recognition earned by the Wilson workers. In 2007, the North Carolina Department of Labor recognised the facility for the fourth consecutive year with a North Carolina Safety Achievement Award. The Rubber Manufacturers Association also granted the Wilson facility a Safety Health Improvement Award for safety advancements and low incidence rates in 2008.

“Every day, BATO team mates ensure the highest level of safety for one another in the workplace,” said Wilson plant manager Jim Pridgen. “This is a tremendous achievement for our team. We will continue to strive for the highest levels of safety for our plants.”