Worker Safety

SPI worker health and safety issues are addressed through the Worker Health and Safety Task Group of the Occupational Health and Environmental Issues Committee (OHEIC). All SPI members are eligible to participate in Task Group activities.

The mission of the OHEIC Worker Health and Safety Task Group is to provide information and tools for members to continuously improve their safety performance, and to provide input and direction on legislative and regulatory proposals.

The current SPI Safety Program includes:

SPI-OSHA Alliance
SPI and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have entered into an alliance to promote a safe and healthy work environment in plastics facilities. The Alliance will assist in providing employees with information and guidance that will help them protect employees, specifically in identifying and eliminating hazards likely to result in amputations, emphasizing machine guarding and lockout/tagout, and reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic hazards.

Ergonomics
SPI is working to provide employers with information and guidance that will help them protect employees' heath and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic hazards. The Ergonomics Issues Work Group is working toward a goal of developing ergonomic tools and is currently evaluating manual materials handling issues in the plastics industry.

SPI Safety Statistics and Awards Program
SPI conducts an annual Occupational Safety and Health Survey to collect statistical information of occupational illnesses and injuries in the plastics industry and to recognize those member work sites which have excellent safety records. We invite you to participate in the Members Only Safety Statistics and Awards program.
View the 2007 SPI Safety Awards Winners.

Partnerships in Safety
SPI has a unique partnership in safety with Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA). The goal of this partnership is to focus on the importance of providing a safe workplace for all workers in the plastics processing industry - through specific safety training programs, and education and outreach efforts.

  • SPI and MIOSHA Partnering Charter- At a ceremony on May 25, 2000 in Lansing, Michigan, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., (SPI) entered into a unique partnership with the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services (CIS) and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The formal partnering charter establishes a relationship in which the parties will: promote worker safety, conduct stakeholder meetings to discuss pertinent and/or urgent issues, cooperate in the development and improvement of plastics processing training programs and foster a climate in which workplace safety is promoted as a good business practice.

Worker Health and Safety Issues Member's Only Icon
On-going and emerging health and safety issues are tracked on our Members Only Website, and include:

  • What's New at OSHA?
  • OSHA Hot Topics of Interest to Plastics Processors

Special health, safety and compliance advisories are available for all plastics processors.