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August 16, 2005

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Quadrant Plastics Achieves Safety Milestone

Seattle, WA, USA--(Jobwerx News)--Belgium Technology Centre for leading manufacturer of engineering plastics passes milestone of 5000 accident free days.

Maintaining and extending its strong safety record, Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products’ (Quadrant EPP) Technology Centre (TC) at Tielt, passed the milestone of 5000 accident-free days on May 21, 2005.

+ Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products achieves record 5000 accident-free days. Click on photo for High Resolution image.

Quadrant EPP’s definition of an accident is any event that requires more than minor first-aid and results in an operator not immediately being able to return to his duties, and therefore a loss of work. The last such accident at the Tielt facility was recorded on September 11, 1991.

“This achievement is very much a team effort,” says Tielt TC Manager, Paul Hernou. “We have good safety procedures in place but, ultimately they work only because every individual commits himself to following them. The fact that we have not had a lost-work accident for more than 13 years is proof of that commitment.”

The effort required to maintain safety is not inconsiderable. Quadrant EPP employs 40 staff at its Tielt Technology Centre, 30 of them directly engaged in production. “We operate a two shift system, which means that the workshop is active 16 hours a day,” explains Hernou.

“Our work is machining plastic stock shapes into finished products and for the most part involves using metal working machines for turning and milling. However the final production step is the deburring of parts and that is carried out manually using a knife, so overall we have a potentially high safety-risk environment.”

To counter this risk all TC staff regularly follow safety courses, including temporary workers assigned to the team. This is supported by a number of programmes that Paul Hernou believes are key to ensuring safety in the workplace. “We operate what we refer to as a ‘Stop Programme’. Anyone who sees anything that they consider to be unsafe reports it. If it’s a procedure then it’s stopped immediately. All such reports are registered, investigated, changes put in place if necessary and then monitored. In addition to improving safety, we share this information as it contributes to best practice.

We also operate a ‘Job Safety Analysis’ programme. If a job that we are to undertake is perceived as potentially hazardous, a complete analysis is carried out to determine what actions need to be taken to make the task safer. This is a vital accident prevention process in which operators make a valuable contribution.”

The Tielt TC facility’s 5000 accident-free days are a testament to these work practices. To mark this success the Technical Centre received Quadrant’s Safety Award, recognising the achievement, from Tielt Site Manager Arie Zwep, on May 23.

manufacturer of engineering plastics in stock shapes (rod, plate, tube) for machining. Other specialities include custom nylon castings and finished parts. Quadrant EPP's catalogue of General and Advanced Engineering Plastics covers the broadest range (in terms of materials and dimensions) of standard and custom shapes for machining. Products are available through a worldwide network of branch offices, technical support centres and authorized dealers.

+ Image courtesy of Quadrant Engineering Plastics Products.

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