Alaskan Brewing Company Gets Sharp

Jun. 21, 2002
No. 02-34

Company becomes fourth in state approved for safety program

In recognition of its effective safety and health program, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development Ed Flanagan approved the Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau for the state's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

The award-winning Alaskan Brewing Company, a small private employer with 50 employees at the Juneau plant, is the fourth site in Alaska to achieve the recognition.

"It is very gratifying to recognize this company," said Labor Commissioner Ed Flanagan. "It's clear that they place the safety of their employees above all else. They have worked very hard to make the Alaskan Brewing Company a model workplace."

Plant Manager Dayton Canaday said that qualifying for SHARP was one of his goals for the year. "We're very serious about safety and have been working hand in hand with Alaska Occupational Safety and Health for years to do what we need to assure our employees have a safe and productive work environment," he said.

"I was excited about SHARP. Our bottom line is we care about our crew and want them to be safe at the end of the day and get home safely every evening," he added. Canaday said he has set a goal of beating the company's record of 859 days before having a lost workday. The company is back up to 412 days and counting.

In SHARP, a cooperative relationship between management, labor and Alaska Occupational Safety and Health is established at a workplace that has implemented a strong safety and health program. While participation in the program is voluntary and does not exempt the worksite from OSH enforcement activities in case of employee complaints and accident investigations, the worksite is removed from general scheduled inspections for an approved period of time (from 1 to 2 years).

Employers recognized in the past include the City of Kenai Wastewater Treatment Plant, S&R Enterprises in Kenai, and Noah's Ark Incorporated, a veterinarian clinic in Fairbanks.

Contact at the Alaskan Brewing Company is Plant Manager Dayton Canaday at 780-5866.

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