Despite a strong safety record, Williams International saw an opportunity to improve the safety of its workplace. The Walled Lake, Mich., aerospace manufacturer has contracted O/E Learning Inc. to implement SafetyIMPACT! – a major organizational development initiative aimed at changing the way companies manage worker health and safety. Increased global competition has companies looking for ways to make their operations more efficient and cost-effective, and rising medical costs require companies to manage worker safety as carefully as they would manage labor, quality or material costs. Williams International joins a growing number of companies who recognize that improving worker safety is more than just the right thing to do; it makes good business sense as well.
"When your business is building jet engines, safety gets ingrained in your corporate culture," says Williams International CEO Gregg Williams. "The safety of the consumer, our customers and our employees has always been our highest priority. SafetyIMPACT! is an investment in that philosophy."
O/E was a logical choice for Williams; the Troy-based performance improvement company has long helped companies improve their worker safety and played a key role in helping UAW/DaimlerChrysler to develop "Bringing Excellence To Safety Teams" (B.E.S.T.) - a program that has significantly improved UAW DaimlerChrysler's safety record and reduced costs.
"We developed SafetyIMPACT! based on what we've learned about worker safety over the past 20 years," said Rick Vlasic, O/E's CEO. "We knew we could bring something truly groundbreaking to market."
Established in 1984, O/E Learning designs and develops new training and performance improvement programs, as well as converts existing programs to different forms of delivery including Web-based, instructor-led, virtual classroom, CD/DVD and mobile devices. O/E's diverse services range from organizational development initiatives to professional certifications in safety, quality and employee involvement. The privately held company is headquartered in
