BROCKWAY – Exemplary safety and health management practices have earned Phoenix Sintered Metals LLC a prestigious distinction from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA certified Phoenix Sintered Metals in its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Acceptance into SHARP singles out a company among its peers as a model for worksite safety and health.
Phoenix has been and remains committed to continuous improvement in workplace safety. The company’s Safety Committee set a goal of becoming SHARP-certified for three years.
Safety Coordinator Terry Fustine received the certification letter from OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson along with a Certificate of Recognition for the company and its employees.
Since 1983, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Safety Sciences Department has been the designated agency for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for providing no-cost occupational safety and health consultative services through a federal cooperative agreement.
Employers may request participation in SHARP, which includes a full-service comprehensive consultation visit, correcting all identified hazards and developing an effective safety and health management program.
Phoenix engaged IUP’s services in 2013. Since the initial walk-through, safety items such as housekeeping, improper labeling, machine guarding and improper use of extension cords, new employee safety orientation and other hazards were identified and corrected.
Explaining safety issues to employees and performing safety training and audits followed. The Emergency Action Plan was updated and employees were instructed what to do in case of emergencies. Near misses, injuries, accidents and other concerns are addressed daily and the Safety Committee meets on a monthly basis.
Lowering injury and illness rates has significantly reduced the company’s Workers’ Compensation rates.
There are only 60 companies in Pennsylvania that are SHARP-certified. The Phoenix Safety Committee includes Steve Anderson, Melissa Beatty, Steve Cappetta, Josh Crawford, Terry Fustine, Dave Modaffare, Ron Perkins, John Potts and Brad Smith.
Employees celebrated the certification with a cookout during the All Employees meeting in June.
Established in 2005, Phoenix Sintered Metals LLC is a Varischetti family-owned manufacturer of sintered (compacted and formed without liquefaction) metal parts. Peter Varischetti is the company’s president.
The firm specializes in producing high strength and density structural sintered metal parts. It serves the needs of customers in many different industries, including automotive, outdoor power equipment, industrial applications, sporting goods, food service, medical and others.
Phoenix Sintered Metals is a global supplier, shipping to customers in China, Mexico, England, Hungary and Canada.
