Kuwait Oil Company OSH Leader Wins Innovation Award
Ali Hasan Al-Failakawi accepted the Cintas-sponsored Award for Innovation in Occupational Safety Management on June 9 during Safety 2014.
ORLANDO -- The American Society of Safety Engineers presented the inaugural Award for Innovation in Occupational Safety Management to Ali Hasan Al-Failakawi, an occupational safety and health team leader for Kuwait Oil Co., in recognition for implementing a road safety program that has reduce serious motor vehicle accidents. Cintas Corporation sponsors the award, and Cintas Senior Vice President/Safety Officer Dan Braun presented the $3,000 prize and a plaque to Al-Failakawi on June 9 at the Safety 2014 conference.
More than 70 entries were submitted for the competitive award; ASSE appointed the panel of judges that selected the winner and 15 honorable mentions: John Bennett, M.C. Dean; Todd Christenson, State of Minnesota Department of Administration Risk Management; Jose Rafael Concepcion, Lydall Thermal Acoustical Inc.; Michael Dardar, Blackhawk Specialty Tools, LLC.; Ryan Kamerzell, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Dennis Marolt, DPM Safety Consulting, LLC.; Andrew McLaughlin, The Kellogg Company; David Nadeau, Aristeo Construction Company; Kevin O'Donnell, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC.; Kenneth Phillips, 86 Airlift Wing Safety; Fred Satterlee, Abbott Laboratories; Deborah Stepansky, The Hershey Company; Jamey Wheeler, Montana State Fund; Clint Wolfley, URS Corporation; and Ken Woodlin, Walmart Stores, Inc.
Kuwait Oil Co. has more than 30,000 employees who travel more than 5 million miles per month. Al-Failakawi launched a program that has succeeded in preventing fatal road accidents by promoting safe driving. "We're truly inspired by the unique strategies and programs that organizations have implemented in an effort to improve workplace safety," ASSE President Kathy A. Seabrook said. "Al-Failakawi and his team stood out for their dedication to promote safe driving, whether employees were working or off the clock."
Their program is called SPEED-Management, with the SPEED acronym representing Surveillance, including fleet controls, prevailing driving practices, etc.; Policies; Engineering approach and solutions; Enforcement of rules/regulations; and Driver awareness program.
In an interview, Braun said Cintas wanted to sponsor this award as part of its strong partnership with ASSE. "The relationship with ASSE is just another big, important part of our overall safety journey," he said. That multi-year journey has resulted in employees at all levels of the Cincinnati-based company embracing what it takes to keep themselves and their fellow employees safe, he explained.
Cintas currently has 26 facilities that have qualified for OSHA VPP Star status and has 13 additional sites in the process of achieving it, Braun said, adding that 419 more facilities are pursuing the VPP management system at various stages. VPP is part of Cintas' continuous improvement process, Braun said.