Utility Trailer Mfg. Co., manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and a leading manufacturer of dry freight vans, flatbeds, and Tautliner curtainsided trailers announced that its Paragould, Arkansas manufacturing plant has received the Liberty Mutual Insurance Silver Safety Award. Liberty Mutual’s Safety Awards are based on Days Away, Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate, which is calculated from the number of hours worked relative to the number of accidents at the plant. Lower numbers of accidents result in lower DART rates. To qualify for the Silver Safety Award, the plant’s DART rate must be at least 60% better than the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) trailer manufacturing industry’s average DART of 4.2, with a minimum of 200,000 work-hours.
In 2014, Utility’s Paragould plant achieved a 1.04 DART Rate (75% better than the industry average), and better than their 2013 record DART of 1.10. “Our employees continue to take safety seriously, and we appreciate Liberty Mutual’s recognition with their Silver Safety Award,” said Sean Graddy, Utility’s Paragould Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager.
“This is another significant milestone. The Paragould plant has now received its 9th Liberty Safety Award, and most importantly has continued to show improvements in its safety record each year. Our employees and management team continue to strive to keep themselves and their co-workers safe,” said Bob Griffis, Corporate EHS Manager for Utility Trailer Manufacturing.
Dale Innis (CSP), of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Risk Control Services, presented the Silver Safety Award to Sean Graddy and the entire management team, on behalf of all Utility’s Paragould employees. Mr. Innis praised the Paragould plant’s safety record: “Liberty Mutual would like to congratulate the employees and management for their outstanding safety performance in achieving this award. Only a small percentage of companies qualify for Liberty Mutual’s Silver Award. Everyone at Utility Trailer’s Paragould, Arkansas plant should be proud of this achievement.”
Utility currently operates five trailer manufacturing facilities across the United States. The Clearfield, Utah and Marion, Virginia plants manufacture Utility’s refrigerated trailer. Utility dry vans are manufactured in Paragould, Arkansas and Glade Spring, Virginia. Utility also has a facility in Enterprise, Alabama that manufactures flatbeds and Tautliners.
