Safety first

A company improves its work environment by letting employees decide what needs to be done.

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APRIL 1991

Old work habits die hard. Sun Sportswear, a $73-million apparel company in Kent, Wash., counters the problem of getting employees to improve their work environment by letting them decide what needs to be done.

An employee-run safety committee, comprising a rotating group of 12 volunteers from various departments, helps manage the company's environment by suggesting better ways to store hazardous materials and educating fellow employees on safety procedures. The group meets monthly; employees receive a paid day off for their ser-vices.

"The committee conducts a no-holds-barred tour of inspection and presents management with an informal report card," says chief operations officer Kaye Counts. "It's quite a service for the company and employees."

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