OAKWOOD, Ga. — Wayne-Sanderson Farms was recently recognized for stellar safety performance as industry leaders and peers joined company safety and leadership staff at the recent annual National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry. The company received 13 separate facility awards during the industry’s largest annual safety-focused event.
The company added that the awards validate the company’s approach to employee safety and health under the leadership of Reggie McLee, Wayne-Sanderson vice president, health and safety, who launched the Zero Accident Culture initiative in 2015 to emphasize personal responsibility for safe workplace practices.
“Making sure our workforce knows the importance of a safe working environment is only part of it,” McLee said. “But showing we care enough about each other to require safe practices from everyone on the team is how we make it happen.”
His team went on to develop a proprietary Supervisors Safety Matrix, with tools and processes supervisors could use to analyze and improve workplace behaviors and map out best practices to improve safety. The initiative was later incorporated into the company’s Amazing Starts With Me corporate culture platform.
Clint Rivers, Wayne-Sanderson Farms president and CEO, commented on the safety awards and the company’s continuous improvement strategy for safety, health and employee welfare.
“We’re proud of the awards, but we’re even prouder of the performance,” Rivers said. “The best way to get improvement in DART rates and reductions in injuries is by making sure our emphasis is always on our people.”
Awards were based on injury statistics over a three-year span in tandem with judge’s program evaluations.
Awards of Distinction
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Adel, Ga.: hatchery
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Elkin, N.C.: hatchery
Awards of Honor
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Albertville, Ala.: hatchery
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Collins, Miss.: hatchery
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Danville, Ark.: fresh processing facility
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Dobson, N.C.: fresh processing facility
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Hazlehurst, Miss.: feed mill
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Laurel, Miss.: feed mill
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Newton, N.C.: feed mill
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Troy, Ala.: hatchery
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Tyler, Texas: hatchery
Awards of Merit
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms Albertville, Ala.: fresh processing facility
- Wayne Farms Pendergrass, Ga.: fresh processing facility
