Marion Manufacturing Hits Major Safety Milestone

When it comes to progressive metal stamping and precision components, Marion Manufacturing has been a leader for 75 years. 

Now the company can add safety leader to its reputation after going 3,000 days and counting—more than eight years–without an OSHA recordable injury. 

The achievement makes Marion Manufacturing president Doug Johnson very proud. 

As emphasized in its mission statement, Marion Manufacturing cannot  “surpass customers expectations until we surpass our workers first.”

Marion is a member of CBIA’s Workers Comp Program and the company’s safety initiatives are supplemented by the program’s loss control efforts.

Major Transformation 

A former board chair of the Precision Metalforming Association and recipient of the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Award for leadership and innovation, Johnson has always kept his finger on the pulse of the industry. 

When the company updated its machinery and production process several years ago, Johnson knew an increased emphasis on safety would need to be a key part of the transformation. 

“Our machines are sophisticated, but [they] can be dangerous.”

Marion Manufacturing’s Doug Johnson

“Our machines are sophisticated, but [they] can be dangerous,” Johnson explained. 

The company then set on a path of making safety not just a compliance issue, but as a way of doing business by integrating it into its daily processes.

As part of that journey, Marion Manufacturing has worked with a consultant for the past six years. 

Investments 

Johnson said the consultant visits the company at least once a month to go over safety protocols and help employees prioritize safety issues. 

The consultant holds employee trainings during these visits on a variety of safety related subjects ranging from trip hazards and proper PPE to hearing conservation. 

In addition, Marion Manufacturing made significant investments in the quality of its production equipment, including purchasing the highest quality machine guards. 

Spearheading this upgrade and safety initiative is plant manager Tyler Johnson. 

Tyler has spent countless hours working on safety and automation in all aspects of the manufacturing facility in the last decade. 

“His vision has been a key part of our safety culture,” Doug Johnson said.

The investment in time, training, and equipment have been key ingredients of producing a culture where everyone is involved in keeping each other safe and the facility immaculate.

See Something, Say Something

Consequently, employees are encouraged to be proactive on the subject. 

“If you see something, say or do something regardless of how small,” Johnson said. 

“That small item on the floor is not only debris, but a potential slip hazard. Doing it right benefits everyone.”

Therefore, for more than 3,000 days each employee has gone home as healthy as when they arrived. 

Johnson said the company has also received up to a 40% refund on its workers’ compensation premiums for the past five years. 

Johnson said the company has also received up to a 40% refund on its workers’ compensation premiums for the past five years. 

Safety is not just an afterthought in maintaining Marion’s production standards, it’s about the employees.  

Johnson said Marion Manufacturing aspires to ensure employees are treated with respect, integrity, and transparency. 

Safety is not just something they’re focusing on at this moment, the culture around safety is being passed on to its new generation of leaders.