Page 24 - MetalForming December 2013

Awards of Excellence in Metalforming
• Job-hazard safety assessments;
• An incentive program that maintains a daily focus on safe work topics;
• Implementation of 5S methodologies;
• Improved near-miss and incident reporting; and
• Weekly facility audits.
In addition, ARFP continues to develop its safety com-
mittee. All committee members are trained first respon- ders; participate in incident reviews and corrective-action development and implementation; and review weekly facil- ity inspections to identify trends or areas for improvement.
As a result of these improvements, the company experi- enced a 66-percent drop in recordable injuries, including a significant reduction in injury severity. ARFP also has begun a return-to-work effort that has netted a 40-percent reduc- tion in days away from work. The company also was recent- ly recognized by the Lake County Safety Council, receiving its Achievement Award for a 25-percent or more reduction in lost workdays.
The Safety Award, sponsored by Pitcher Insurance Agency, Chicago, IL, acknowledges either an effective comprehensive safety program or a specific innovative idea in the context of an effective safety program. ARFP received a $1500 cash prize.
Excellence in Training and Education
Pridgeon & Clay, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI, received the 2013 A.R. Hedberg Training and Education Award for its Career Paths program. The program is designed to provide a clear progression of formal education and experience-based skill acquisition, to move employees in highly skilled classi- fications from entry level to the equivalent of a journeyper- son. It also ensures the timely development of employees’ career paths/goals in a specific field.
The Pridgeon & Clay program has a start and end point for each individual, and also is designed to be an institutional- ized, ongoing development program similar to a traditional apprenticeship program. As employees graduate, they gain greater responsibilities as the trainers and mentors of those following them in the program. This allows employees to con- tinuously update the skills they are required to teach.
The Career Paths program is a joint effort between train- ing and development, human resources and each department that contains highly skilled classifications within the program. Each department includes subject-matter experts and deci- sion makers available to draft, gain buy-in for and implement each Career Path.
Employees enter the pro- gram through the external hir- ing process or the internal promotion process. Each path requires candidates to com- plete two valid and reliable
assessments and a self-assessment based on the training check- list for that classification. Candidates also complete a multiple- interview process. Team leaders and higher-level techs con- duct on-the-job training that is tracked to monitor progress. Each employee within the program must complete at least one class per semester in an approved Associate’s Degree curriculum, under the company’s tuition reimbursement benefit, and reach Tier 2 of their classification within 7 yr.
Current classifications in the Career Paths program include Metal Model Maker, Quality Layout Technician, Laser Techni- cian/Programmer, CNC–R&D, Low Volume Technician, and Die Technician–Maintenance/Repair. Pridgeon & Clay plans to cre- ate at least three more Career Paths by the end of 2013.
In addition to employees benefiting by achieving their career goals, Pridgeon & Clay benefits by growing talent from within the organization at a time when there is a lack of highly skilled workers available for employment. Since each employee demonstrates steady, focused progression in his skill development, Pridgeon & Clay retains a consistent depth of talent in all classifications within the program. The program has helped Pridgeon & Clay change its culture from relying on certain “go-to” employees to turning everyone in the department into a “go-to” person.
The Training and Education Award recognizes outstand- ing achievement by a PMA member company in employee technical education through a comprehensive training pro- gram. The award is sponsored by HPL Stampings, Inc., Lake Zurich, IL, in memory of A.R. (Ray) Hedberg, a leader in employee training. Pridgeon & Clay received a $1500 cash prize, to present to an educational institution that provides coursework directly enhancing metalforming technology.
22 MetalForming/December 2013
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