Safety Is Our Goal. What’s Yours?
One of the most common misconceptions about the manufacturing industry—especially when it involves big CNC machinery and massive precision metal stamping presses—is that it’s replete with unsafe working conditions. That couldn’t be further from the truth at Hobson & Motzer!
Safety is our number one priority, which is why we have laid the building blocks to create a safe and 
healthy workspace within our manufacturing plant, allowing our employees to thrive.
Safety is not something that happens by itself without any planning, effort, or action. Creating a safe environment involves constant awareness. Safety isn’t something we see—it is what we practice every day. Accidents happen when we are in a rush or not paying attention.
Common sense may go a long way in keeping you relatively safe in your daily activities outside of the workplace, but the hazards and risks you face on the job are more severe than what you might encounter when walking down a sidewalk during the day. Proper safety training helps to eliminate these risks. At Hobson & Motzer, a required element of the onboarding process for all new hires is that they attend thorough safety training, and ongoing safety training throughout their career. They are also provided, and required to wear, appropriate personal protection equipment, such as safety glasses and hearing protection, with demonstrations on their proper use.
Safety in Action!
We approach safety as a verb—it dictates you to take and maintain actionable steps. As such, our facilities actively target zero injuries. We are aware that situations change over time, making it problematic to pinpoint and control hazards, so we take precautionary steps for prevention. With the addition of a new CNC machine or the relocation of a stamping press or the re-arranging of an automated robotic manufacturing cell, we know very well how vital it is to actively, consciously prepare the area, equipment, and employees for the safest transitions possible. We have a safety committee made up of team members from all departments who meet quarterly. They conduct a comprehensive facility-wide overview, with a list that includes:
- Conducting safety inspections
- Reviewing safety procedures, accident, and near-miss reports
- Recommending safety training tips
- Sharing feedback from employees
The implementation of 6S lean manufacturing has added to our safety efforts. This six-step process for organizing a work place guides us in the following ways:
Sort: Eliminate the clutter
Set in Order: Organize and label; set boundaries and limits
Shine: Clean everything; inside and out
Standardize: Keep maintenance checklists; make them visual
Sustain: Maintain discipline through systems and a supportive culture
Safety: Review every aspect of previous initiatives to ensure any potential hazards are addressed
Things in Motion …
You know the rest of that adage. And it’s central to how we maintain a continuous process of 
improvement. Making small improvements over time creates a safer workplace. Every employee is empowered and encouraged to address a safety hazard immediately, on the spot, when they see them. Our idea board system (you can read about it here) also gives them the ability to make safety suggestions for improvement.
Sustaining a safe workplace is crucial for the overall success of any business and we’ve seen improvements in morale, production, and retention, all of which are vital to the growth of our business—and ultimately, the satisfaction of our customers. An article from EHSToday, an online environment, health, and safety leaders magazine, discusses how engaged workers are safe employees. The article states, “Engaged workers fully are committed to their work and the success of the company. They put in more effort, have a higher quality work product, go out of their way to assist others, have fewer accidents and are willing to provide feedback and suggestions on ways to increase efficiencies and improve the work environment.”
We are proud to say this statement accurately reflects the workplace and workforce we set out to establish. It’s a powerful and productive component of our business model that also allows us to serve our customers as efficiently as possible. We’re happy to share our safety success story with industry peers. We feel it is that important to support quality of life issues—in and outside the manufacturing plant. We know what a successful safety program can do for us, and by extension, our customers. What can a safety program do for you?
If you’re interested in finding out more about our safety program or any of our precision metal stamping, CNC machining, advanced manufacturing, or assembly capabilities, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us now and let’s talk.
