Success Stories

The following success stories highlight some of the successful measures that employers and other organizations have implemented to improve workplace safety and health.

• Cooperative Programs. Working through OSHA's Cooperative Programs, many employers and other organizations have improved their workplace safety and health performance or developed tools and resources that contribute to improved safety and health. The following are some examples:
  • Alliance Program
  • National Alliances Milestones and Successes
  • Regional and State Plan State Alliance Program Success Stories
  • Success Stories Developed Through the Alliance Program
  • OSHA Challenge Success Stories
  • OSHA Strategic Partnership Program Success Stories
  • Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Success Stories
• Ergonomics. Accounts submitted to OSHA, or that were based on information obtained by OSHA from secondary sources, where employers have implemented ergonomics programs or used best practices and have reported successful results.
• Hispanic Outreach. Accounts submitted to OSHA of employers who have had success in reaching out to their Spanish-speaking workers.
• Regional Showcase. This page highlights some of the outreach activities taken by OSHA's Regional and Area Offices. Some of these stories feature successful measures taken by employers and employees to improve workplace safety and health.
• Small Business. Links to stories about small businesses that have improved their safety and health programs.

Case Studies

The following case studies, developed through the OSHA Alliance Program, demonstrate the value of successful safety and health programs.

• OSHA and Abbott Case Studies. Through their Alliance, OSHA and Abbott worked together with the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business to develop the following PowerPoint® presentation and case studies that communicate the business value and competitive advantages of an effective safety and health program. These case studies are based on publicly available information from OSHA. These case studies were prepared by the OSHA and Abbott Alliance in coordination with Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business. Participation in an Alliance does not constitute an endorsement of any specific party or any party's products or services. These case studies were prepared as the basis for class discussion in the "Business Value of Safety." The product names and companies listed in these studies do not constitute an endorsement by OSHA of their products and services: 
  • The Business Case for Safety: Adding Value and Competitive Advantage. OSHA. March 2005. This PowerPoint® presentation is for use with the case studies.
  • Auto Parts Manufacturing: "Auto Parts Manufacturing Corporation." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Ergonomics in Manufacturing: "Ergonomic Improvements in Manufacturing." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Ergonomics in Nursing Homes: "Countryside Care Nursing Home." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Ergonomics in an Office Setting: "Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Fleet Safety: "Fleet Safety at Abbott." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Occupational Exposure Limits: "Procuring R-Active at Abbott." OSHA. April 2005.
  • Stadium Construction: "The Great American Ballpark." OSHA. April 2005.
• OSHA and the American Foundry Society Case Studies
  • "Ventilation Upgrade Reduces Silica Exposure at Grede Foundries, Inc. Facility in Reedsburg, Wisconsin." OSHA. September 2008. Grede Foundries implemented measures to reduce workers' exposure to silica at its plant in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
  • "Silica Dust Control Improvement: Grinding of Iron Castings with Portable Tools at Kennedy Valve Foundry in Elmira, New York." OSHA. June 2009. Kennedy Valve Foundry implemented measures to reduce workers’ exposure to silica at its plant in Elmira, New York
  • "Clearing the Air at Acme Foundry: Integrated Engineering Design of a New Casting Cleaning and Finishing Facility." OSHA. February 2010. Acme Foundry reduced its workers exposure to silica and made other workplace safety and health improvements in the expanded cleaning and finishing department at its foundry in Coffeyville, Kansas.
• OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Case Studies
  • Overview of OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Case Studies. OSHA. September 2008. This slide presentation provides a summary of the case studies developed through the OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Alliance.
  • "Contractor Safety Case Study: Texas Operations Contractor Alliance for Safety at Dow Facility in Freeport, Texas." OSHA. September 2008. This case study describes how the Texas Operations Contractor Alliance for Safety (TOCAS) works to identify and articulate the safety-related needs of its broad spectrum of contractor companies and partners with Texas operations to improve contractor safety performance.
  • "Motor Carrier Safety Case Study: A Collaborative Approach to Reducing Motor Carrier Incidents." OSHA. March 2006. This case study describes how The Dow Chemical Company worked with one of its motor carriers, Transport Service Company (TSC), to successfully implement a new behavior-based safety program to reduce TSC's rear-end collisions.
  • "Motor Vehicle Accident Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company's Use of Six Sigma Methodology." OSHA. December 2005. This case study describes the Six Sigma methodology and how Dow used it to successfully reduce motor vehicle accidents in the company's Hydrocarbons and Energy business unit.
  • "Ergonomics Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company's Use of the Six Sigma Methodology." OSHA. May 2004. This case study describes the Six Sigma methodology and how Dow used it to successfully address ergonomics hazards in the company's design and construction division. [PDF^*- 406 KB]
• OSHA and the Graphics Arts Coalition Case Study: "Ritrama Invests in Safety and Improves Its Bottom Line." OSHA. June 2007. Ritrama, a multi-national corporation, designed and implemented a program to educate the managers, supervisors and employees about safe work practices and company-specific procedures at its manufacturing plant in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a result of the program, the company reduced its workers' compensation premiums, increased productivity and product quality, and improved its employee recruitment and retention.
• OSHA and The Steel Group Case Study. OSHA. December 2005. Chaparral Steel's implementation of the "Manager Accountable for Safety and Health" (MASH) program was designed to educate the managers, supervisors and team leaders about OSHA compliance, safe work practices, and company-specific policies and procedures, and provide the tools needed to meet these requirements. As a result of the program, Chaparral Steel had under 75 OSHA recordables in calendar year (CY) 2004 with a frequency under 7, an improvement of about 50 percent from CY 2000.
• OSHA and Washington Division of URS Corporation Case Study: "Washington Group International Designs and Builds a Mixed-Waste Treatment Facility." OSHA. February 2007. This case study describes how the Washington Group International, Inc. (now known as the Washington Division of URS Corporation) incorporated its design for safety process into the construction of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility in eastern Idaho.

The following are additional case studies that demonstrate the value of successful safety and health programs.

• Ergonomics Case Studies. Case studies submitted to OSHA, or that were based on information obtained by OSHA from primary or secondary sources, where employers have implemented safety and health processes or utilized best practices and have reported successful results.
• Research Report: Driving Towards "0" – Best Practices in Corporate Safety and Health [PDF^* - 307 KB]. This report, prepared by the Conference Board with OSHA funding, outlines a core set of best practices in corporate safety performance. The report also includes case studies of four companies' safety and health programs.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Does It Really Work?  How to Evaluate Safety and Health Changes in the Workplace. This page provides guidance to employers in assessing and measuring the effectiveness of steps they have taken to improve workplace safety and health. The page includes case studies of how several companies have evaluated safety and health changes.
  
  

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^*These files are provided for downloading.