The Warren County, Tenn., plant of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (BATO) has been recognized with the Volunteer Safety Through Accountability and Recognition (STAR) award. The award is the highest honor from the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development and Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA).
The Volunteer STAR is patterned after the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and recognizes the best of the best in the area of safety and health programming and performance.
This is the fourth consecutive time that BATO’s Warren County plant has received the award. The first time was in 1997. Facilities must be recertified every three to four years.
“Bridgestone Americas is committed to being a premier place to work, and a critical part of achieving that is adhering to the highest levels of safety and health in our plants,” said Barry Owens, vice president, manufacturing for Bridgestone Americas Manufacturing Group. “The receipt of this award represents a continued total team effort on the part of our teammates here in Warren County, and it gives us great pride to help celebrate their accomplishments here today.”
The Warren County plant is one of only three tire manufacturing facilities in the U.S. that is certified as an OSHA VPP Star site. The other two plants – in Aiken County, S.C., and Bloomington, Ill. – are also BATO facilities. No other tire plant in the U.S. has earned this distinction.
“Bridgestone Americas was one of the first companies in Tennessee to be awarded the Volunteer STAR, and has continued to be exemplary in its safety and health programs throughout the years,” said Deputy Commissioner Alisa Malone of the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. “It’s an honor to be here today to present this award and celebrate a legacy of health and safety excellence here in Warren County.”
