Update: Since publishing this article about our 2006 SPOTY winner, Norbert and his team at SKF Sealing Solutions in Hobart, OK have just surpassed another major milestone. As of the close of business on April 12, 2007 the Hobart plant achieved 24 months with 0 accidents. This is a new record for SKF. To congratulate this achievement, the executives at SKF rewarded all the employees with a paid day off (It just so happens that the day off is Friday the 13th). We want to commend and congratulate Norbert and the entire team at the Hobart plant for an outstanding accomplishment..

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. honored Norbert Alsup, Environmental Health and Safety Manager at SKF Sealing Solutions in Hobart, Oklahoma, as the 2006 KellerOnline® (KOL) Safety Professional of the Year (SPOTY) at a ceremony held at Keller headquarters on March 9, 2007. The SPOTY Award, initiated in 2002, is sponsored by KOL, the most widely used safety management tool in the industry. The Award program recognizes three individuals each year for their accomplishments in the safety industry and winners are chosen from a field of more than 100 applicants.

Alsup received first place for his unique contributions and sincere dedication to safety at SKF Sealing Solutions, a leading provider of sealing solutions around the world. As part of SKF’s commitment to being an industry leader in achieving safety and health wellness, Alsup worked through various methods to gain the trust of his plant’s employees by showing how much SKF Sealing Solutions valued them. One of the unique initiatives that he implemented is the 5S (Sort, Straighten, Standardize, Shine, and Sustain) program. Using this program, employees become engaged in the implementation of a safety management program by performing the 5S audit within and taking responsibility for their own departments or areas.

Employee engagement and commitment continues to be the key to success for SKF Sealing Solutions. “I wouldn’t be receiving this award if it weren’t for each and every person back at my plant,” he said. “I cannot take all of the credit for the success of our safety efforts, but I continue to be proud of them.”

SKF Sealing Solutions has currently achieved 23 months with 0 recordable accidents. Prior to the implementation of the safety program, the company struggled to reach even 100 days without a recordable accident and even surpassed 1 million dollars in workers’ compensation costs in one year. It was because of these types of statistics that SKF made a corporate commitment to safety to both its employees and their families.

Alsup received a $2,500 cash award towards his employee activity fund during the special ceremony , along with a plaque, certificate, and one year’s use of KOL for himself and his coworkers.

Larry Pecor, Director of Safety and Loss Control for Paris Kirwan & Associates, Rochester, New York, was awarded second place. He received a $500 cash award, a plaque, a certificate, and a one-year subscription to KOL. Like Alsup, Pecor believes that employee involvement is the key to success in any safety program and that it is important to get employees to buy into safety as a lifestyle both at work and home.

Patricia O’Rourke, District Safety Coordinator for North Broward Hospital District, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was awarded third place. She received a plaque, certificate, and a one-year subscription to KOL, along with a $50 cash award.

About SKF Sealing Solutions

SKF Sealing Solutions is a leading provider of sealing solutions around the world. As a part of the SKF Group, the leading global supplier of products, solutions and services in the area comprising rolling bearings, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems, there are 100 manufacturing sites distributed all over the world. For more information, visit www.skf.com.

About J. J. Keller

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. was established in 1953 and has become the nation's most respected name in risk and regulatory management. The company employs over 1,100 associates and serves over 300,000 customers including more than 90% of the Fortune® 1,000. Keller’s diverse product line includes publications, consulting, online services, and outsourced services. For more information, go to www.jjkeller.com.

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