Hollymatic -- 2018 - 4

important to note that worker safety initiatives and programs in the industry have
lowered the incidence of occupational injuries and illnesses.

RAISING THE BAR ON SAFETY
Roughly three years ago, Tyson Fresh Meats
Inc. and its president, Steve Stouffer, were
part of a conscientious decision on the
part of Tyson Foods to "fix worker safety."
The company would accept some short
term sacrifices in the name of long term
improvement.
"When we were given that
cart blanche to head down
that path, we in the fresh
meat side of the equation
in particular, jumped in with
both feet," Stouffer says.
However it would not be an
easy task, it would require a
considerable shift in culture.
The attitude throughout the
"It's not about money, it's meatpacking industry needed to change. The historical
about taking care of the
mindset has been that meat
people," Stouffer says.
processing is inherently dangerous, but thanks to companies like Tyson
and Hollymatic, that culture has changed
and continues to evolve through initiatives,
programs, machines and the equipment
necessary to process and produce meat
and poultry.

The Defender
4000's patentpending detection
system verifies the
operator is wearing
PPE before every
start.

Tyson has shifted the mindset of worker safety
and significantly decreased injury and illness
through the efforts of Stouffer and his team
over the last three years. And by engaging
and believing in Hollymatic through the development of the Defender 4000 Band Saw,
the two companies continue to raise the bar
on worker safety.
For fiscal 2017 Tyson's OSHA recordables improved by 31 percent year over year. Presently, there are Tyson plants running 72 percent
better than a year ago, but Stouffer stresses
the high numbers and improvements are not
the most important part.
"People still get hurt and still get illnesses," he
says. "So we've got to continue to strive. Our
goal is to get to zero."
Band saws and bladed equipment represent
serious potential for injury and amputation.
Stouffer agrees that band saws are some of
the scariest pieces of equipment on the floor
of a case ready plant and that operators are
"the best of the best." However, even when
operators "do it right," the potential
for injury does not disappear.
"The reason band saws have such
great focus is because the consequences are so quick and
severe," Stouffer adds.
A band saw with the ability to
significantly decrease, or even
eliminate altogether, cuts and
amputations represents an investment well worth the cost. Tyson's
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota,
plant has implemented multiple
Defender Band Saws with more on
order, and has plans to install them
into other plants around the country.



Hollymatic -- 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hollymatic -- 2018

Hollymatic -- 2018 - 1
Hollymatic -- 2018 - 2
Hollymatic -- 2018 - 3
Hollymatic -- 2018 - 4
Hollymatic -- 2018 - 5
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/safer-saws-hollymatic-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/safer-saws-hollymatic-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/2020_02_24
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/2019_09_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/2018_02_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/hollymatic/2015_10_01
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com