Company’s EfW plant in Kent recognized by Michigan OSHA.
Covanta Kent Inc.’s energy-from-waste (EfW) facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has received the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for the third time. The program is part of the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
“Covanta Kent has once again been named a Michigan Star Worksite for the continuous development and improvement of its safety and health management system," says Martha Yoder, MIOSHA’s director. "This high level of achievement demonstrates a commitment to workplace safety beyond what is required by MIOSHA standards, making Covanta Kent a true model of excellence in its industry.”
MIOSHA established the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) program in 1996 to assist and recognize employers actively working toward achieving excellence in workplace safety and health.
“It’s a great honor to be named a Michigan Star Worksite for a third time. Driven by employees, Covanta Kent has implemented on-site safety activities and procedures that have generated outstanding results. This award recognizes our steadfast commitment to safety and the tremendous record that we have worked so hard to achieve,” says Randy Inman, Covanta Kent’s facility manager.
The MIOSHA MVPP review team examined various elements of the safety and health management system and found Covanta’s facility effectively addressed the scope and complexity of the hazards at the site.
The facility generates steam from burning around 625 tons of municipal solid waste each day and generates up to 18 megawatts of electricity. MIOSHA says the facility has an exemplary safety and health record, and has exhibited outstanding leadership in recognizing that a comprehensive safety and health system is critical to successful businesses today.
“The numbers for national VPP worksites show that the average site has a Days Away Restricted or Transferred case rate of 52 percent below the average for its industry,” says Yoder. “These types of reductions in injuries and illnesses are attainable when a site commits to the program’s comprehensive approach to safety and health.”