460 Days Without an Accident

“I promised the team a barbecue if we succeeded in staying accident-free for a year,” said Kurt Ziminski, CEO Accumulators. The celebration was held for the entire team. “Without a doubt, in my 20 years at Freudenberg, this is one of the proudest moments of my career,” Ziminski said.
How could this have happened? “Job safety was a key component of our integration strategy,” he said. There was an evaluation at the start: It revealed that the prior processes, procedures and technical measures deviated from FST safety standards on 339 separate points. These deficits were processed point by point – in part with tools from the lean toolkit. The recently completed move into a new factory building with an improved layout and process flow was a key factor supporting and facilitating the  effort. “It was even more important to change the company culture and anchor job safety as a priority in the minds of employees,” Ziminski said. The reason: In the past, many of the accidents had no technical origin – they were due to improper behavior. He cited intensified, open communication, complete with improved feedback options, as another success factor.
Stuart Antley, Safety & Maintenance  Manager, summed it up this way: In Bamberg, people didn’t just occupy a new building –  they moved into a new workplace lifestyle as well. 

On the Team Together

Numerous congratulatory messages were read aloud at the celebratory Southern-style barbecue. Three short excerpts: 

Dr. Theodore G. Duclos, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at FST:

“Congratulations! The team in Bamberg has shown us that the zero-accident goal can be achieved if everyone works together and supports one another in eliminating potential hazards and unsafe behaviors.”

Karl-Heinz Westhoff, Senior Vice President Quality Health & Safety at FST:

“Sincere congratulations to the entire team for achieving ‘zero accidents’! You made it possible with strong leadership, competence, a steady focus and the training of every employee.”

Judy Parker, Human Resource Manager in Bamberg:

“By adopting the Freudenberg safety and health culture and breathing life into it, you  are helping yourselves, your coworkers and the company. Together, with continuous improvement, the team will continue on its current path to success.”