Safety First: Southwestern Scale Achieves Milestone
Southwestern Scale Company Inc. (SWSCALE), a servicer, manufacturer, and provider of industrial and commercial-grade weighing scales, has been recognized as Arizona’s newest SHARP-certified business.
The Phoenix-headquartered operation is just one of 12 small businesses across the Grand Canyon State to be recognized with this prestigious certification, and only the seventh within the state’s largest metropolitan area.
SHARP (Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program) was developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to highlight businesses that operate under exemplary safety protocols and standards. OSHA, a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor, launched the consultation-funded program nationally in 1996, and targeted it toward businesses with less than 250 on-site employees, and fewer than 500 corporate-wide employees.
The company recently held a ceremony at their corporate offices, where employees and invited guests basked in the glory of the historic moment. In attendance were representatives from the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH), who formally presented the certification to Christopher Jannise, the company’s Safety & Quality Compliance Manager. Jannise, who joined the organization in 2020, spearheaded efforts to accomplish this feat, while seemingly transforming SWSCALE’s safety program overnight (the company saw a 50% drop in safety-related incidents between 2020 and 2021, even as personnel headcount increased, and additional vehicles were brought in).
On the achievement, he remarked “This provides protection for our team members from all safety and health hazards and will allow us to continue building upon our reputation as an industry leader. It was no small effort to achieve this goal.”
CEO Roger Dumont made it clear that he believes leaders of all businesses should uphold a commitment to employee safety: “All of the members of the team, and their families and people that depend on them, are the most important aspects of any small or large company. It’s the duty of the leadership of these companies to create a work environment that is safe.” He believes that this moment is indicative of the efforts set forth by his own leadership: “Becoming SHARP-certified is a significant step for SWSCALE to fulfill this promise to everyone on our team.”
With the business rapidly approaching its 75th year in operation, it has certainly seen its share of defining moments. This one, however, puts employee wellness center stage, which is something Jannise set out to accomplish when he kicked-off the certification process more than a year ago:
“My goal has always been to make sure that all of our employees go home the same way they came to work. Our employees are our greatest asset. Without them, there is no SWSCALE.”
More information on SHARP can be found at www.osha.gov/sharp.
About Southwestern Scale Company Inc.
Established in 1948, Southwestern Scale Company Inc. is the only full-service weighing scale company in the Southwestern United States. The locally owned and operated business, led by the second generation of ownership since inception, services, manufactures, and delivers a wealth of industrial and commercial-grade scales for any industry or operation. For more information about the company, visit swscale.com/about.