AK Tube Receives Safety Award

AK Tube LLC (Columbus, IN) was the winner of the 2018 Rusty Demeules Award for Safety Excellence from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA; Elgin IL) and CNA Financial Corporation (Chicago, IL). This award is presented annually by FMA, sponsored by CNA and created by FMA’s Safety Council to recognize a company with a demonstrated safety culture. The award is named in honor of Rusty Demeules, an outstanding volunteer contributor who made significant contributions to FMA while serving as the president of the Safety Committee from its inception in 1989 until 1996.

“We are pleased to present this award to AK Tube,” said Edward Youdell, the president and chief executive officer of FMA. “Beginning with their formal safety orientation program for new employees, dedicated record keeping, ongoing management commitment and the CEO’s signature on their safety policy, it’s clear AK Tube is a worthy recipient of this award.”

AK Tube converts flat rolled steel into round tubes to be used in a range of applications. Their safety plan reflects the safety plan of their parent company, AK Steel Corporation (West Chester Township, OH). Management commitment is evident within the program. Supervisors and managers conduct monthly toolbox meetings and participate in monthly safety meetings which have been converted into a game format which the employees enjoy. In addition to classroom training, the new hire onboarding program includes hands-on training, which allows employees to experience their job without the expectations of production. Each new employee also receives OSHA ten-hour training, as well as environmental, quality and production training.

“We are proud to sponsor the Rusty Demeules Award and are very proud to recognize AK Tube as the 2018 recipient for their conscious work to create a culture of safety,” said Roger Wilson, the assistant vice president and industry leader for manufacturing at CNA.

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