JULY 21, 2006 – Herman Miller’s, 171st Avenue filing and storage manufacturing facility within the company’s Spring Lake campus received the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) Star Award today from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for workplace safety and health excellence. The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).

“Herman Miller is an economic powerhouse that is helping to fuel Michigan’s manufacturing recovery,” said DLEG Director Robert W. Swanson. “Your exceptional leadership in safety, health and the environment sends a strong message that protecting workers makes good business sense.”

MIOSHA Acting Director Martha B. Yoder presented the MVPP Star Award to the 171st Avenue Operations General Manager Nancy Houghtaling. State and local elected officials, corporate leaders and MIOSHA representatives were on hand to congratulate employees and management on their outstanding achievement.

“Our corporate mission and purpose is focused on creating great places to work–for our customers and also for our Herman Miller employees,” said Brian Walker, Herman Miller’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “A key element of that mission is creating a safe, healthy and productive work environment. Our employee owners are driving continuous improvement in these critical areas, and it is on the strength of their energetic commitment that we earn this award.”

This is the most prestigious safety and health award given in Michigan. MIOSHA established the MVPP program in 1996 to recognize employers actively working toward achieving excellence in workplace safety and health. Since 1999, Michigan has recognized 19 MVPP Star companies.

"Every team member played an important part in this accomplishment and this award is evidence of their efforts," said Herman Miller's Casegoods General Manager Nancy Houghtaling. "Receiving this award is both exciting and motivating, as it is another step on our continuous improvement journey."

The incidence rates at the Herman Miller 171st Avenue filing and storage facility are well below the Michigan average for their industry SIC/NAICS code 2522/337214. Their total case incidence rate was 4.8 in 2002, 5.0 in 2003, and 4.8 in 2004-compared to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Michigan industry average of 6.3 in 2002 and 2003, and 7.8 in 2004. The total day’s away/restricted cases (DART) rate was 2.2 in 2002 and 2003, and 2.4 in 2004-compared to the BLS Michigan industry average of 3.7 in 2002 and 2003, and 4.6 in 2004.

“National VPP sites experience 60 to 80 percent less lost work day injuries than would be expected of an average site in their industry,” said Yoder. “Not only does the MVPP program significantly reduce injuries and illnesses–it also has a tremendous impact on the bottom line.”

The 171st Avenue facility employs 800 workers on three shifts, and manufactures Herman Miller’s filing and storage products. The MIOSHA review team conducted 31 formal and 26 informal interviews during the site visit. The team examined each of the required elements of their safety and health management system, and found them to effectively address the scope and complexity of the hazards at the site.

Areas of excellence include:

• Safety Audit System. The site General Manager, Site Safety Specialist, Work Team Leaders, and team members conduct audits (assessments) monthly and quarterly. Areas audited include Housekeeping, Fall Prevention, PPE, Fire Prevention, Chemical Use and storage, Machines, Energy Source Lockout, Industrial Vehicles, Electrical Safety, Communication, and Administrative Requirements. Checklists are used during the audit and when completed the information from the checklist is entered into the site’s ETQ database. Queries can be made from the database for tracking performance by supervisor, department, and details such as proper use of PPE (safety glasses, etc). Annual evaluations are also conducted and the results are presented to General Managers, Corporate Directors and Operations Managers. Communication and Administrative Requirements as audited areas are true innovations.

• Excellence Through Quality (ETQ) program. This is the site “corrective action preventive system” for reporting and tracking of hazards. The ETQ program was originally developed through ISO 9000 requirements. Quality personnel monitor for timeliness and completion of necessary corrections.

Herman Miller helps create great places to work, heal, learn, and live by researching, designing, manufacturing, and distributing innovative interior solutions that support companies, organizations, and individuals all over the world. The company's award-winning products, complemented by furniture-management and strategic consulting services, generated $1.74 billion in revenue during fiscal 2006. The company trades on the NASDAQ market under the symbol MLHR. For additional information visit www.HermanMiller.com.