See It, Own It, Share It: Meet Our Safety Champions

Safety is our number one priority at 48forty. We believe a preventative safety culture is key to keeping our employees injury-free and plant conditions safe, and recognize those who go above and beyond. Join us as we celebrate our Safety Champions and Injury-Free Plants during National Safety Month.

There’s no question that safety on the job must be top priority. Developing a safe work environment takes a deep understanding of protocols and procedures at all levels of an organization. That’s why at 48forty, we encourage all employees to See It, Own It, Share It. This comprehensive safety initiative helps employees prioritize safety each day and provides clear guidance on what to do if they witness unsafe work conditions. 

Safety engagement programs can go a long way towards helping employees feel like they’re part of the solution. Be transparent with your team about how each individual role impacts overall operations. This invites team members to identify and share opportunities for improvement, and ultimately leads to a safer workplace for all.

Meet Our Safety Champions 

While building a preventative safety culture is nothing new at 48forty, we make a conscious effort to communicate with all employees about their role, how it fits into the bigger picture, and to recognize their accomplishments – especially when it comes to safety. 

We’re taking extra time during National Safety Month to observe how to keep each other safe from the workplace to anyplace. As we reflect on our own policies and responsibilities, we want to spotlight employees and plants going above and beyond to keep our people and facilities safe. 

Meet Sadheo Singh. Sadheo is a Forklift Driver at our Portland, Oregon plant and has been with 48forty for over 10 years. He is a member of the safety committee and has helped management drive our safety culture in Portland. Sadheo is always looking out for the safety of other team members and immediately notifies management if he notices anything unsafe.

Meet Mike Takacs. Mike is a Pallet Builder at our Lockport, Illinois, facility and is very diligent about bringing up any safety issues that could lead to an accident. In fact, Mike initiated a flag system for alerting forklift drivers when builders are out of repair material. This helps keep builders safe because they don't have to leave their station to obtain material.

Meet Elias Tenaz. Elias is a Forklift Operator at our Nashville, Tennessee plant and has been working safely for 15 years! He’s had zero accidents or injuries since 2007. Elias always follows safety procedures while maintaining productivity. He sets a great example for all 48forty Nashville employees to follow.

Meet Corey Williams. Corey is a Pallet Builder at our Hammond, Louisiana facility, and helps with training and leads morning exercise. He is always the first to remind his coworkers to wear their PPE. Corey is one of our best builders and always keeps his area free of debris and trip hazards.

Meet Our Injury-Free Plants

Each employee relies on one another to See It, Own It, Share It and speak up if unsafe conditions are spotted. The following plant teams hit impressive milestones this year and earned our Injury-Free Plant Award!

Gray Court, SC

“It is a total team effort, understanding that we are human and all make mistakes, but we are all watching out for the good of the family. It shows that our team is more than just a group of employees…It shows that we are a family working together,” said General Manager Shawn Stinchcomb.

Hammond, LA

“Earning this award represents the time, energy, and dedication of everyone in the plant to keep themselves and each other free from harm. Every team member should be proud of this accomplishment,” said General Manager David Taylor.

Jackson, MS

We’re proud of our Jackson, Mississippi, plant’s commitment and dedication to safety. 

Columbus, OH

Shout out to our Columbus facility for their Injury-Free Plant award! We are so proud of their commitment to See It, Own It, Share It!

Growing a Preventative Safety Culture

At 48forty, our culture is driven by caring about the well-being of our coworkers. We understand that safety is the shared responsibility of each and every employee – no matter their position. 

With 60 company-owned and operated plants across North America, it’s extremely important that employees are aware of, understand, and observe safety protocols. Through our safety initiative See It, Own It, Share It, we promote safety across the company and share best practices with the pallet industry as a whole. 

Congratulations again to our 2022 Safety Champions and Injury-Free Plants!