The company announced April 25 an agreement with Oregon's Occupational Safety and Health Division to take on additional responsibilities to participate in the state's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, more commonly known as SHARP.
SHARP is a partnership between Oregon OSHA and employers, committed to creating optimal occupational safety and health programs. To earn SHARP status, an employer works closely with Oregon OSHA to evaluate current programs, correct safety hazards, and develop and implement safer processes.
The agreement with Weyerhaeuser will minimize the amount of time and resources Oregon OSHA invests, placing most of the responsibility to meet requirements directly upon the company. Specifically, Weyerhaeuser will now manage all site preparation for the SHARP application process, which includes evaluating each site's safety and health programs, refining comprehensive safety hazard identification, analysis and control processes and conducting employee training. Oregon OSHA will then host on-site reviews to determine SHARP status.
"The safety and health of our employees is our number one priority," said Ernesta Ballard, Weyerhaeuser's senior vice president of corporate affairs. "The SHARP program recognizes those employers who value safety excellence, something Weyerhaeuser strives for everyday. Because our safety practices already reflect the highest government standards, this agreement was a natural step for us to take in supporting Oregon OSHA."
Several Weyerhaeuser facilities are involved with SHARP. These include: - Eugene iLevel sales service center, 24 employees - Eugene iLevel veneer technologies plant, 382 employees - Junction City iLevel veneer technologies plant, 101 employees - Beaverton corrugated box plant, 121 employees - Beaverton iLevel sales service center, 31 employees - Beaverton recycling, 70 employees - Coos Bay timberlands operations, 30 employees - Springfield timberlands operations, 70 employees - Springfield TOPS, 18 employees - Wilbur pole facility, 16 employees
Weyerhaeuser employs 4,600 people across Oregon. The company also owns and sustainably manages more than one million acres of forestland statewide.
