Apr 23, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Liberty Mutual Insurance Recognizes Utility’s Paragould, Arkansas manufacturing plant with its Gold Safety Award

Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, the industry’s largest manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and a leading manufacturer of dry freight vans, flatbeds, and Tautliner® curtainsided trailers is pleased to announce that Liberty Mutual Insurance has conferred its highest-level Safety Award to its Paragould, Arkansas manufacturing plant.

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UTM Paragould Receives Safety Award (Photo: Business Wire)

UTM Paragould Receives Safety Award (Photo: Business Wire)

Utility’s Paragould, Arkansas trailer manufacturing plant was recently presented the Liberty Mutual Gold Safety Award. Liberty Mutual's Safety Awards are based on the days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rate, which is calculated from the number of hours worked relative to the number of accidents at the plant. Lower numbers of accidents result in lower DART rates.

In 2018, Utility’s Paragould plant had a DART rate of 0.40, with over 1.49 million worked hours. The average DART rate for the trailer manufacturing industry was significantly higher, at 3.9. A Gold Safety Award is presented for DART rates 20% or lower than the industry rate. The Paragould plant’s DART rate was nearly 1/10th of the industry rate.

“We are appreciative for being recognized with another Gold Safety Award by Liberty Mutual. Our continually improving safety record over the past two decades shows Utility Trailers’ commitment to safety is deeply ingrained in our culture. Without the dedication of all of our employees and the support of our management and owners, a successful safety program would not be possible,” said Sean Graddy, Utility’s Paragould Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager.

“The employees at the Paragould plant continue to work hard to create and maintain a safe workplace, and their efforts have again been recognized by Liberty Mutual with its highest honor, a Gold Safety Award. This is Paragould’s second Gold award, and Liberty Mutual grants very few of these. We are very proud of all our Paragould employees with receipt of now 13 Safety awards,” said Bob Griffis, Corporate EHS Manager for Utility Trailer Manufacturing.

David Neighbors, Utility’s Paragould Plant Manager stated, “I credit our employees here in Paragould for embracing and expanding our culture of working safely. Our goal is to have zero accidents!”

Dale Innis (CSP), of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Risk Control Services, presented the Safety Award to a group of Paragould employees, on behalf of all Utility’s Paragould employees.

About Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company

Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company is America's oldest privately owned, family-operated trailer manufacturer. Founded in 1914, the company designs and manufactures dry freight vans, flatbeds, refrigerated vans, Tautliner® curtainsided trailers, and aerodynamic technologies. Utility currently operates six trailer manufacturing facilities across North America. Utility’s 3000R® and the 3000R® multi-temp refrigerated trailers are manufactured at the Marion, Virginia, Clearfield, Utah and Piedras Negras, Mexico plants. The 4000D-X Composite® series and 4000D® dry vans are manufactured at the Glade Spring, Virginia and Paragould, Arkansas plants. The 4000AE®, 4000S®, and 4000AE® Drop Deck flatbeds as well as the Tautliner® are all manufactured at the Enterprise, Alabama facility. Utility also has an extensive independent dealer network with over 100 locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. Visit: www.utilitytrailer.com for more information.