Huntsville plant stresses safety, reaches 10 years accident-free

HUNTSVILLE — One local plant had plenty to celebrate at the end of 2018 when they achieved a feat few others attain: 10 years straight with no accidents on the job.

Employees of the supply chain plant, which produces most of the catalytic converters used by many of today’s most prominent automakers, must constantly be aware of their surroundings to stay safe. The devices they produce work to turn harmful air pollutants emitted by internal combustion engines into compounds that do not pose a threat. The plant is guided in their operations by the Greenwich, Connecticut-based XPO Logistics, a provider of transportation and logistics solutions for numerous companies around the globe.

Kevin Howlett, who serves today as the site’s operations manager, stepped onboard as one of the plant’s five original members when it opened in 2008. His first position was as a second-shift order picker.

“I’ve driven the shuttle truck, worked in the office, been a supervisor – I’ve done everything there is to do here,” he said in an XPO newsroom article. 

The 122,000-square-foot warehouse now employees a staff of 42 people. Howlett said safety is a key component of everything they do.

“Safety is one of our core values, and we focus on it as part of our DNA,” he said. “We operate on the principle of continuous improvement, and safety is no different. Our perspective is always safety first, no matter what the job.”

To accomplish this, Howlett said the plant works to instill this value in each of its employees from the first day they walk in the door. This includes daily reinforcement of the importance of safety on the job during pre-shift meetings.

“‘Eyes for safety’ is a large focus and a pledge taken by all employees at all levels,” he added.

These employees must either possess or adopt the belief that safety is nonnegotiable. Howlett said they are encouraged to not only look out for themselves, but look out for their fellow employees as well. If they see someone doing something that might present a safety hazard, they are encouraged to speak up and look out for each other.

“Every day, we see our employees practice safety as a natural part of their job,” Howlett said. “They do not take this responsibility lightly.”

In addition, the plant takes a “grassroots approach” that regularly involves many different employees to help address safety each day. The employees also work ahead to prevent potential hazardous situations before they can occur at the Huntsville plant. Equipment they do not have and accidents they have not experienced are still up for discussion.

Because of this commitment to safety, the plant has not experienced a single OSHA-recorded accident or mishap in its decade of operation.

“While we’re very proud of this milestone, the fact that we’ve embedded a mindset of safety into our culture makes us even prouder,” Howlett explained. “Safety is about creating an environment where we look out for each other. That’s what we have at XPO.”

For more on XPO Logistics and how they help companies, visit xpo.com.