Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s leading forklift manufacturers, today announced that eight of its facilities have received Lift Truck Operator Awards from the National Safety Council for outstanding safety practices. The award recognizes forklift operators for operator excellence in lift truck operations by operating lift truck fleets without recordable or lost time injuries. The seven manufacturing facilities and one distribution center are all located in Ohio and support Crown’s global business.

This is not the first time Crown and its facilities have been recognized by the National Safety Council. In 2010, the company received an Occupational Excellence Achievement Award for its achievements and implementation of effective safety programs and initiatives. In that same year, the company’s manufacturing facility in Greencastle, Ind., was recognized for achieving 1 million consecutive man hours (10 years) without a lost time injury.

“At Crown Equipment, we take great pride in safety excellence both in our manufacturing facilities and processes, as well as working with our customers on best practices for forklift safety,” said Brian Duffy, director of corporate environment and manufacturing safety, Crown Equipment. “Major contributors to the continued success of our corporate safety initiatives include internal usage of our Crown training programs, including DP LeadSafe® for supervisors and DP TrainSafe® for trainers; as well as Crown’s InfoLink® system and the company’s SafeSteps program.”

The InfoLink wireless fleet and operator management system helps the company maintain compliance with workplace regulations and safety standards by monitoring impacts. The company is also using the system to limit access to operators with the required certifications and to ensure that required inspections are performed with proper attention to detail. It’s also sending managers notifications of upcoming training and maintenance requirements.

Crown’s SafeSteps program has enabled the company to dramatically shift the culture of safety to be self-directed and owned by its employees. The program uses employee observation, feedback and positive reinforcement, as well as management support, to focus on the behavioral aspects of safety. The comprehensive safety program provides an anonymous, discipline-free approach to safety that is unique for a manufacturing environment. Employees recognize and evaluate fellow employees on the safety techniques they’re performing correctly rather than solely focusing on unsafe behavior. This fosters a positive learning environment that allows Crown to keep employee health and safety as a top priority, as well as ensure productivity and efficiency in its facilities.

The National Safety Council  works to prevent injuries and accidents at work, in homes and communities, and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

About Crown Equipment Corporation
Crown is one of the world’s largest lift truck manufacturers. Crown’s award-winning line of lift trucks maintains a reputation for exceptional product design, engineering and manufacturing. From the smallest hand pallet truck to the highest lifting turret truck, Crown seeks to provide users with safe, efficient and ergonomic lift trucks that lower total cost of ownership and maximize uptime. Headquartered in New Bremen, Ohio, Crown manufactures lift trucks that are sold throughout the world.