A. O. Smith consecutively named as one of South Carolina’s safest workplaces


4/3/2017
McBee Team and Safety Award

Columbia, SC— Thanks to their safety first outlook, for the third year in a row, A. O. Smith team members were honored to receive an Excellence in Safety Award from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. The statewide safety award is presented to companies that are 'achieving a commendable lost workday case rate during the previous calendar year.'     

“We are extremely proud of our McBee, South Carolina team for its long and outstanding track record of leading in safety,” said A. O. Smith Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ajita G. Rajendra. “Having A. O. Smith Corporation named as one of South Carolina’s safest workplaces by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce three times in a row is a tremendous honor.”  

A. O. Smith’s team has worked more than 3 million hours without a lost time accident.  The streak began October 12, 2013 and employees reached the 3-million hour mark on November 7, 2016.  

“Our McBee team members are constantly looking for ways to enhance safety in our workplace,” said Jeff Barron, A. O. Smith’s McBee plant manager.  “For example, last year they added blue lights to our forklifts to increase their visibility.”  

The McBee team earned another 2017 statewide safety award in March when the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance recognized A. O. Smith for its commitment to workplace safety.  

In the summer of 2016, the McBee team was also awarded the prestigious Lloyd B. Smith President’s Safety Award presented by A. O. Smith.  The award, named after a former chief executive officer of the Milwaukee-based company, is awarded annually to the A. O. Smith facility that achieves the best overall performance in workplace safety.  A total of 23 facilities worldwide were evaluated based on statistical measures as well as evidence of having a comprehensive, sustainable workplace safety program. The McBee facility is the only A. O. Smith facility to have been awarded the Lloyd B. Smith President’s Safety Award on four separate occasions: 1982, 1992, 2006, and 2016.  

A. O. Smith is one of the largest employers in McBee with more than 400 local employees. Along with creating a safe workplace that allows employees to grow and succeed, the company also invests in the local community. The A. O. Smith Foundation has generously donated more than $300,000 to service organizations in McBee and throughout Chesterfield County.