SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR GLOBAL IMPACT

Safety

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SAFETY FIRST

Our focus on building strong safety programs and systems as well as increasing employee awareness and engagement have made Carpenter Technology one of the safest industrial companies in the United States. 

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SAFETY PERFORMANCE

Carpenter Technology is one of the safest industrial companies in the United States. We continue to record far fewer injuries than the metals manufacturing industry and across all industries.

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Total Recordable Incident Rate**

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*Total recordable incident rate is defined as OSHA-recordable incidents multiplied by 200,000, divided by total hours worked. Data from Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by industry and case types, 2020.


Data available here.

**Carpenter Technology TRIR data reflect performance during respective fiscal year ending June 30.

Strategy and Approach

The safety of all employees is our highest priority.

It is the shared responsibility of every employee to actively participate in all aspects of the safety program to achieve our goal. We are proactive in our approach to safety, working to eliminate hazards before causing injury or harm.

We invest in our employees and engage them in finding solutions to achieve a zero-injury workplace. We focus on three areas:

1. Dedicated Leadership

Our leadership includes the executive team, site operations managers, and site EHS managers. Leadership partners with employees to actively problem-solve together. Leaders are responsible for identifying and assessing potential hazards and implementing solutions to reduce risk.

2. Systems and Accountability

Our management system — including formal policies, procedures, training, and internal and external auditing across eight categories — sets standards and expectations for our safety performance in line with best practice, certification requirements, and compliance.

3. Employee Engagement

Employees are expected to actively participate in their own safety and the safety of their colleagues. Human performance training and impactful safety campaigns ensure safety topics are always top-of-mind.

CRITICAL 7 SAFETY PROGRAM

Hand Safe

Always use devices and tools to handle loads or materials.

Human Performance

STOP. Discuss pretask briefs and high-risk tasks.

Ergonomics

No bullwork. Stay within lifting guidelines.

Personal Protective Equipment and Department Checklists

Wear correct gear. Check your equipment
and work area. Report any hazards.

Machine Guards

Always in place and free of damage or STOP.

Engagement

See it, own it, solve it, do it.

Employee Discussions

Daily active dialogue and listening.

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Although a 1.7 injury rate would rank as one of the safest metal manufacturing companies, it is not a rate we’ve come to expect or accept. Our goal continues to be a zero-injury workplace.

The 2023 rate is largely due to the increase in employees undertaking new tasks, either as new hires or transfers into new roles. We are using the Critical 7 approach, focusing on hand safety and ergonomic injury prevention to continue to improve this rate. These injuries represent a significant portion of overall injury classifications. In addition, we are investing in additional training for any employee new to a job or task with frequent monitoring and follow up.

Employee Discussions

Daily active dialogue and listening.

Employee Discussions

Daily active dialogue and listening.

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“We are constantly engaging with employees to ensure everyone has what they need to live up to our safety standards.”

— McKenna R.
Health & Safety Specialist

SAFETY HIGHLIGHTS

Safety Campaigns

Every year, we engage our employees through numerous efforts, including a series of safety campaigns. Campaigns follow our Critical 7 Safety Program and remind our employees of the ways in which they can keep safety top-of-mind.

We also want to ensure Carpenter Technology families keep safety top-of-mind at home. Our Home Safety Committee engages with our families through a series of quarterly home mailers, including seasonal safety tips, home safety scavenger hunts, and an annual calendar featuring safety illustrations by children of Carpenter Technology employees.

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OOPPPS Model

We empower all employees to STOP work at any time following our OOPPPS model: “Outside of Procedures, Parameters, Process, or the Situation as expected? STOP and Seek Help.” Through a series of employee trainings, thoughtful leadership, and impactful campaigns, employees engaged in over 11,000 STOP events in FY23, demonstrating the effectiveness of the employee engagement approach and dedication to our collective safety goals.

Health and Safety Leadership

Our EHS leadership ensures Carpenter Technology’s environmental, health, and safety management system align with the strategic direction of the organization, allows the organization to meet goals and objectives, and provides the foundation for continuous improvement. Corporate EHS has an established policy that outlines the roles and responsibilities of leadership, including the role of the executive team, site operations managers, and site EHS representatives. Leaders in these roles are responsible for demonstrating leadership and commitment to the management system, and supporting and monitoring day-to-day activities in the context of the established management system.

Emergency Preparedness

Carpenter Technology is responsible for identifying and preparing for emergencies that may pose a risk to employees, contractors, visitors, facilities, assets, and surrounding communities. Internal policies detail requirements and provide resources for site-specific emergency action plans, including instances of medical emergencies, severe weather, fire, spills, and other incidents. Facility leaders ensure relevant personnel are trained and regular collaboration takes place with outside aid agencies, such as fire, police departments, and other emergency responders.

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Contractor Safety

Our dedication to safety applies to everyone, including our contractors and vendors. We partner with a contractor management firm to ensure our contractors adhere to Carpenter Technology’s safety standards. Contractors are regularly monitored and evaluated based on health, safety, and environmental requirements, and compliance with all site-specific work rules and policies.

Beyond our contractor management approach, we fully comply with applicable federal and state health and safety regulations. Our safety management firm ensures our contractors and vendors do the same.

Chemical and Hazard Management

Chemicals introduced to the manufacturing process are subject to a rigorous approval process that identifies potential risks to employees and the environment.

Prior to introducing new chemicals to production, our employees and contractors are subject to periodic hazard communication and exposure control processes. Additionally, customers are informed of any material or chemical changes. Once new chemicals are introduced, we engage in regular employee health checks, re-training, and periodic sampling of our sites as appropriate.

In addition, Carpenter Technology discloses chemical information through the Benchmark Safety Data Sheet (SDS) module, available to employees and contractors. We ensure our approach meets and exceeds OSHA requirements to avoid risks associated with hazardous chemicals.

OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BE A ZERO-INJURY WORKPLACE

FORKLIFT SAFETY

Across our industry, powered industrial vehicles such as forklifts contribute to significant workplace injuries. To mitigate the risk of injury related to vehicles such as forklifts, Carpenter Technology is developing strategies to eliminate the interaction of forklifts and pedestrians, including a goal to segregate or eliminate the use of forklifts inside our facilities by 2030 through automation and workplace design opportunities.

In 2023, we continued to remove forklifts from operation areas and successfully substituted other devices across our facilities, including overhead cranes or walk-behind units, improving visibility and minimizing speeds. We are on track to reach our goal.

AWARD-WINNING ERGONOMICS

A team from Carpenter Technology’s Athens, Alabama facility was recently honored with an Ergo Cup Award at the Applied Ergonomics Society conference in New Orleans. The award was given for their development of an automated solution for sonic testing that replaced an outdated and injury-prone, manual process.
Learn more about Athens' award winning project