Two T.O. Haas Tire Co. Inc. stores in Lincoln, Neb., have been recognized for safety by the Nebraska Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The stores at 640 West O Street and 8300 Dawson Creek Bay have earned Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Award Program (SHARP) certification. SHARP is regulated by OSHA and recognizes small employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system.
“We’ve been working hard on reaching SHARP certification status at all of our stores,” says Randy Haas, owner and safety director. “We’ve identified hazards in the workplace, corrected them and significantly reduced job-related injuries.”
The award is a major achievement for the company because currently there are only nine employers in the state of Nebraska who participate in the SHARP program, and T.O. Haas Tire holds the largest number of awards with a total of 14 SHARP certified locations in the state of Nebraska and four more in Kansas and Iowa.
“This certification is very important because of what it says about our commitment to the safety of our employees and customers,” says George Hoellen, T.O. Haas Tire president.
“In order to stay in the program, we have to be recertified periodically and the bottom line is that each and every day we want employees to go home to their families safe and healthy.”
Through SHARP, safety has become a key feature of the company’s culture and is demonstrated by regularly scheduled safety meetings and inspections where workers have an opportunity to voice their safety and health concerns and receive assurance that real action will be taken to resolve issues brought to the table.
T.O. Haas Tire operates a chain of 25 retail tire and automotive service facilities in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. The firm is headquartered in Lincoln. The company is tied for the No. 26 spot on the MTD 100 list of the nation's largest independent tire dealers.
For more information about the company, visit www.tohaastire.com.
