Aria Energy receives renewed "MSHARP" workplace safety and health status

Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program recognizes small businesses committed to making workplace safety a top priority

 

Release date: Oct. 7, 2019
Contact: Camara Lewis, 517-930-4928

 

LANSING, Mich.—Aria Energy, is one of only eight Michigan companies recognized by the Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MSHARP) from Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for implementing and maintaining outstanding workplace safety and health standards.

Aria Energy in Lenox, a leading provider of baseload renewable energy, was recently awarded its second renewal of its MSHARP certification from MIOSHA. 

Workplaces that have achieved excellence in their safety and health practices are recognized through MSHARP, placing these businesses among the few that go above and beyond MIOSHA standards. Priority is given to companies on the MIOSHA list of high-hazard industries, or who are a part of MIOSHA’s strategic plan to help them develop, implement and continuously improve the effectiveness of their workplace safety and health management system.

The MIOSHA Onsite Consultation Program operates MSHARP and works with employers to help them become self-sufficient in managing occupational safety and health. Onsite MIOSHA consultants provide feedback on best practices offering an incentive of 12-month exemption from regular scheduled MIOSHA inspections.

 “MSHARP recognizes successful, collaborative efforts by small businesses who partner with MIOSHA to achieve excellence in workplace safety and health practices,” said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman. “Aria received its initial MSHARP award in 2015 and has continued to demonstrate a company culture that prioritizes employee safety. I am pleased to grant a three-year extension for their continued excellence.”  

Aria Energy has an exceptional system in place which incorporates each of the seven required MSHARP elements: hazard anticipation and detection, hazard prevention and control, planning and evaluation, administration and supervision, safety and health training, management leadership and employee participation.

“At Aria Energy we are committed to being the workplace of choice for great people,” said Richard DiGia, President & CEO of Aria Energy. “This award renewal is proof of our employees’ continued commitment to embodying Aria Energy’s core values – Safety, Customer Focus, Teamwork, Ethics, Integrity, and Respect.”

MSHARP requires a comprehensive consultation visit and the correction of all serious workplace safety and health hazards to achieve certification, emphasizing employers need to proactively anticipate accident and illness risks, rather than reacting to them.

Two best practices that demonstrate this company’s safety and health management system excellence: 

• Aria Energy has established an in-depth and comprehensive preventative maintenance program. Each piece of equipment that they have has scheduled downtime planned months in advance and the equipment is torn down and rebuilt in order to ensure they do not fail to prevent accidents.
• They have trained multiple employees across each shift on first aid, CPR and first responder training to ensure that someone will always be available, even if the primary responder for that shift were to become incapacitated.

For more information about MIOSHA and MSHARP, visit www.michigan.gov/miosha.

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About Aria Energy

Headquartered in Novi, MI with offices in Oakfield, NY, Frederick, CO and Gilbert, AZ, Aria Energy provides baseload renewable energy to utilities and other customers across the United States. Aria Energy owns and/or operates a diversified portfolio of 41 LFG recovery and processing projects across 17 states, collectively representing 179.1 MW of electric capacity and 20,760 MMBtu/day of renewable natural gas. For additional information, visit www.ariaenergy.com.