ISRI launches circle of safety excellence to improve worker safety across the recycling industry

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling IndustryTM, today announced the creation of the Circle of Safety ExcellenceTM – a member-driven effort to promote and encourage safety in the workplace. The key to this new initiative is the establishment of a platform – the Circle – within which like-minded companies voluntarily come forward to share safety data and best practices for the betterment of their own safety program and the industry in general, and at the same time be recognized by ISRI for their commitment to safety.

“ISRI’s new Circle of Safety Excellence program is designed for every ISRI member company willing to embrace a new safety norm,” said Doug Kramer, chair of ISRI. “It is a social and professional network of like-minded owners and CEOs who are committed to operating safely, sharing data and best safety practices, and striving for continuous improvement.”

The ISRI Circle of Safety Excellence is open to all ISRI members committed to operating safety and is designed to bring together those companies willing to share certain specified injury statistical data in order for them to be able to benchmark their operations with other's in the industry and learn from each other. Membership in the Circle of Safety Excellence is a demonstration of an individual company’s commitment to continuous improvement, and the industry’s commitment to the safety of all employees and the communities it serves.

“I see the Circle of Safety Excellence as a platform where recycling industry leaders from companies of all shapes and sizes, along with industry safety professionals, share injury data and safety best practices to provide an opportunity to improve the safety of our industry operations,” said Scott Miller of Sims Metal Management, chair of ISRI’s Safety Working Group. “Ultimately, however, the true test of the Circle will be whether we as an industry are able to make a difference in reducing injuries across the industry, especially the most serious injuries, by ISRI members helping members and all ISRI members reaching out to and helping all the industry.”

“Entry into the circle is not easy or automatic, but the benefits will be worth the effort, so I encourage every ISRI member company to apply,” said Kramer. “My goal is for every ISRI member to be a part of it, and ISRI is committed to helping them get there.”

Those companies “committed to operating safely” must:

• Have a safety management program - with certain key elements as defined by OSHA - in place at all facilities;
• Be willing to share injury data on an annual basis and participate in a group benchmarking program; and
• Along with ISRI, have a willingness to outreach to others in the industry regarding the promotion of safe practices.