Potlatch Honored For Safety Record

The Potlach particleboard plant has a safety record that ranks among the elite.

Out of 6 million manufacturing sites in the United States, only 57 facilities have been recognized as “merit sites” by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

OSHA officials from Seattle joined Potlach President Penn Siegel and 63 plant workers Friday for a ceremony recognizing the award.

Designation as a “merit site” caps a rigorous, 21-month review of safety procedures at the particleboard plant, said Jeff Carlson, safety coordinator.

In May 1996, the plant began a yearlong application process that documented all job procedures, safety training and precautions. In August 1997, OSHA inspectors did a “wall to wall” audit of the plant, interviewing employees and making sure that all information in the application was correct, Carlson said.

The Post Falls plant received “merit site” designation in February. Only three manufacturing sites in Idaho have received the designation, and they are all Potlach facilities, said company spokesman Frank Carroll.

The designation is part of OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program, designed to encourage industry, labor and government cooperation on worker safety issues.