Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), today announced that Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), the manufacturer of the number one selling lift truck in the U.S., was awarded the Occupational Excellence Achievement Award by the National Safety Council.
 
The Occupational Excellence Achievement Award is given to companies that have a lost time injury rate of less than 50 percent of companies in the same business classification. The National Safety Council tracks data in accordance with the federal OSHA calendar year standard. During the last calendar year, TIEM achieved a lost-time incident rate less than 7 percent of the average rate in the same business classification.

"Every associate, manager and executive at TIEM has safety as their top priority," said TIEM’s Environmental, Health and Safety Manager Dixon Churchill. "When associates know their managers truly care for their health and safety, it creates an environment where everyone is focused on reaching the company’s business goals. With TIEM’s focus on safety, we see reduced absenteeism, lower turnover rates, higher productivity and better quality products."

Toyota’s high standard of manufacturing excellence, which emphasizes safety and quality, is reinforced daily with all associates and management teams. As part of the program, TIEM works to incorporate safety awareness and risk reduction into all plant activities associated with the manufacture of Toyota lift trucks and replacement parts for industrial lift trucks and tow tractors, along with the assembly of motor vehicle parts and accessories.

June is National Safety Month. Each year, the National Safety Council encourages businesses and communities across the country to participate in this observance to increase awareness of the top causes of preventable injuries and deaths, and to encourage safe behaviors. Free materials, including posters and tip sheets, are available at nsc.org/nsm to help spread important safety messages.

About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.
Celebrating more than 40 years of established operations in the United States, Irvine, Calif.-based Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc., (TMHU) has been the No. 1 selling lift truck supplier in the U.S. since 2002. In addition to the full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand, the company’s extended industrial equipment solutions include: Aichi aerial work lifts—scissor lifts, crawler and wheeled boom lifts—Automated Guided Vehicles, and electric and diesel tow tractors.

Quality is the hallmark of the Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including TIEM. Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured at TIEM, a zero-landfill facility. TIEM is a member of the National Safety Council, complies with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization, and has been honored for its environmental management systems and dedication to continuous improvement.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Sixty-eight authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers, with a total of 190 dealership locations throughout the United States, offer comprehensive customer service and support, including one-stop shopping for both new and used lift trucks, rentals, parts and service, fleet servicing and financing.