Kennametal Inc. is named an America’s Safest Company Winner

Metal forming machinery and machine tools 11,500 employees worldwide 69 warehouse and manufacturing facilities and 50 of ce and sales locations worldwide 17 EHS professionals, additional 40 EHS “leaders” Kennametal has realized that excellence in safety is not only good for people, it also is good for business, having experienced the powerful benefits that result from implementing its world-class EHS management system, 100% Safe.

Strong and sustainable safety systems have been a key factor in Kennametal’s financial performance in the last 5 years. This is demonstrated by a 50 percent reduction in direct costs of incidents since 2006 and attracting new customers and sustaining current ones because of its ability to satisfy customer requirements for progressive safety management systems and a demonstration of superior safety performance.

This is evidenced by numerous examples of operational excellence in safety. In Rogers, Ark., the team was committed to reducing hand injury “near misses.” In the prior year, 64 percent of near misses at this facility were potential hand injuries. As a result of the initiatives put in place, hand-related near misses and/or first aid cases dropped 42 percent in FY10 and hand-related OSHA recordables are zero to date in FY11.

“Our people are our competitive advantage, and the 100% Safe work environment helps ensure we are protecting our most valued assets every day,” says Kennametal Chairman, President and CEO Carlos Cardoso. “Safety is good business, and it is no coincidence that firms with excellence in safety are among the top financial performers.”

100% Safe has resonated throughout Kennametal, creating a culture of safety that not only is an integral part of employees’ everyday routines, but also has spread into employees’ personal lives, from precautions used while hanging Christmas lights safely, to always holding on to the handrail when using stairs. “I am very proud of our entire team’s relentless commitment to safety at all levels of our company.We are serious about our goal of 100% Safe, and we will not be satisfied until we reach and sustain our goal of 100% Safe with zero injuries,” says Phil Weihl, vice president of Integrated Supply Chain and Logistics.

The company also is proud of its Find and Fix program, a powerful tool used to engage employees in the safety process. Through this program, employees are rewarded for finding unsafe behaviors or unsafe conditions and fixing them. It’s not a program where employees point out issues to their supervisors and their responsibilities end there – employees are required to fix the issue prior to receiving recognition. The Vohenstrauss, Germany facility was the first to implement Find and Fix in FY09 and has identified and corrected over 600 hazards at its facility. The facility has not had a DART incident since September 2008.

Kennametal is recognized for being a safety leader in the communities in which the company operates. The management team of a hospital near Kennametal’s global headquarters in Latrobe, Pa., called upon Kennametal to provide guidance on EHS management systems and creating seniorlevel ownership of safety and environmental responsibility. The EHS leaders at Kennametal educated and mentored the hospital on the characteristics of a strong EHS management system and shared best practices and techniques in risk assessment and metrics.

Kennametal Inc. accepting their awards at the American Safest Company awards ceremony at The Ritten House in Philadelphia, PA.

Read about this years America’s Safest Companies Winners