When entering the Oregon Resources Corporation processing plant in Coos Bay on a normal day, the men and women in safety equipment and protective gear are immediately visible. Equipped with the brightly colored reflective vests, protective eyewear and hardhats, the plant workers are hard to miss. This extra visibility prominently displays one of the many ways the ORC is committed to maintaining high safety standards.
“On our site, safety is a priority,” says Peter Zagar, director of Environmental Health & Safety. And he is not exaggerating. Every person who tours the sand cleaning and separation plant must be briefed in site-specific training, and all of the staff members who will spend more than four consecutive days in a year on the site are required to undergo an extensive 24-hour Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) course on site protocol and safety.
Following industry standards is important, but the company has specific policies to further prevent injury and diminish risk on-site. For example, it is required that only two people are certified with basic First Aid. At ORC, over 60% of the entire staff is trained. Additionally, all individuals working on-site are required to wear steel-toed boots to prevent small accidents.
“On our site, safety is a priority,” says Peter Zagar, director of Environmental Health & Safety. And he is not exaggerating. Every person who tours the sand cleaning and separation plant must be briefed in site-specific training, and all of the staff members who will spend more than four consecutive days in a year on the site are required to undergo an extensive 24-hour Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) course on site protocol and safety. Following industry standards is important, but the company has specific policies to further prevent injury and diminish risk on-site. For example, it is required that only two people are certified with basic First Aid. At ORC, over 60% of the entire staff is trained. Additionally, all individuals working on-site are required to wear steel-toed boots to prevent small accidents.
“Our company is about creating a culture that puts safety first,” Zagar said. Contrary to many other businesses in the US, ORC has a strong philosophy about minimizing risks in the workplace, for both social and economic reasons. “We believe a safe work environment is a more productive one,” said Zagar.
So far, the heightened safety protocol has been rewarding for the company, with zero accidents to date.
So far, the heightened safety protocol has been rewarding for the company, with zero accidents to date.
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