Trident Seafoods’ surimi-seafood processing plant in Motley, Minn., hoisted a MNSTAR flag of safety earlier this week to recognize the company’s ongoing commitment to workplace safety and health under a rigorous program administered by Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry were on hand Tuesday to help Trident executives and employees hoist the flag of safety over the company’s 125,000-square-foot plant.
Managed by Minnesota OSHA, the MNSTAR program is modeled after federal OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The MNSTAR program is designed to recognize and promote effective safety and health program management by establishing cooperative relationships between management, labor and MNOSHA staff.
MNOSHA initially verifies that the worksite is meeting the goals of MNSTAR through an application and onsite review. After designating initial success at one of two performance levels (merit or star), MNOSHA continues to monitor the effectiveness of the program every three-to-five years through onsite inspections and annual company reports to MNOSHA.
After receiving the application from Trident, MNOSHA conducted three onsite inspections of the facility in 2008. Trident successfully addressed all MNOSHA recommendations, and the plant was accepted into the MNSTAR program at the STAR Level, the highest level, on 6 February. The Trident plant is the 30th site certified in Minnesota and only the second seafood manufacturer in the United States to be certified by similar programs.
“Workplace safety is Job One here at Trident,” said Motley Plant Manager Mike Robinson. “Our employees are truly our friends and our family, as well as our most important business resource. Their health and welfare is very important to us, and providing a safe working environment is not just our duty as an employer; it’s a very personal priority for all of us. This award reflects our success as a community, and meeting this goal is something we can all celebrate and live up to every day.”
The Motley facility employs more than 300 full-time workers and produces more than 70 million pounds of finished surimi seafood annually under the Louis Kemp® and SEALEGS® brands.
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