Founded in 1802 as a manufacturer of gunpowder, the DuPont Company has, as a matter of business prudence, always had to have a concern for safety. As the company grew and expanded further into explosives and chemical products, a government-mandated divestment forced the company to focus exclusively on non-explosive chemical products. The following century has seen the company continually expanding the application of its products to the industrial, agricultural, and consumer markets; however, beyond simply remaining, the commitment to safety has been constantly improved and expanded. Legend has it that in the early days of the company, safety standards were so bad that the company faced bankruptcy because they were practically unable to produce any dynamite safely. In one desperate act to save the company, managers were encouraged to move their families into the dynamite production sites, thereby forcing them to produce dynamite safely or suffer the consequences first hand. As a result of this unusual measure DuPont never suffered another explosion in one of their factories.
Today, though health and safety regulations are often seen by many businesses as a necessary evil, the truth is that by embracing and enhancing health and safety businesses can boost productivity, profitability, and improve employee morale. As a company literally saved by a commitment to safer work environment, DuPont has remained a global leader in health and safety. The modern DuPont model, formally enacted by the company in 1993, demonstrates that by developing, monitoring, and communicating health and safety goals a business can not only improve the workplace for its employees, but can also improve its standing in the community and polish its public image.
The DuPont Health and Safety Model
20 years ago, DuPont decided that simply trying to not have too many work-related fatalities and occupational illnesses can hardly be called a strategy and enacted a long-term agenda to reduce, even eliminate workplace injuries. What differentiates this model from others is that the DuPont model utilizes 5 key elements to achieve company-wide safety standards that permeate very strata of the company. The five core elements are:
1. “Active participation” leadership reinforcement and demonstrated commitment to health and safety practices from the most senior employees to the newest.
2. Personal accountability for workplace safety.
3. Skills and training.
4. Availability of information to understand what processes are working and where improvement is needed.
5. Auditing the process, both internally and externally.
The Model’s Success
The success of this model can be seen in the difference it has made for DuPont internally and in the way it has set apart DuPont a from other US manufacturers. In the period from 2003 to 2012, DuPont’s Total Recordable Cases (TRC) rate dropped from 1.30 to 0.54, which was a total injury rate drop of 58%. Additionally, the DART rate (Days Away Restricted and Transferred) dropped from an average of 0.8 to 0.28, a reduction of 65%. In comparison to other US manufacturers, whose average TRC rate was recorded at 5.64 from 2003 to 2010, DuPont’s numbers were 83% lower.
One of the key innovative elements of the DuPont model is the emphasis on clear communication channels. The ability to describe hazards and ways to avoid them has become the driving force behind the company’s health and safety program and a key component for its enduring success. Especially for multi-national companies with their multi-lingual workforces, the right form of communication will determine the success of new programs. EVS Translations is a translation company that specializes in providing expert language services for corporation with a global footprint. We focus on the translation of occupational safety instructions, health and safety manuals, brochures and training manuals.
