NAICS Code: 332710 – Machine Shops

Number of employees: 161 employees

Hunting Dearborn, Inc., with over 200,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space, is located in the small town of Fryeburg, Maine.

Hunting Dearborn, Inc. provides precision metal manufacturing for oil and gas, aerospace, nuclear, and power generations industries. The company learned of SafetyWorks! Maine On-Site Consultation at an Annual Maine Safety conference. In 2008, with rising incidents and recordable injuries, the company reached out to Maine On-Site Consultation for a visit.

During the initial walkthrough, the consultant identified physical hazards associated with machine guarding on production equipment and grinders, as well as blocked fire extinguishers and storage units. A review of the hazard communication program revealed the company needed additional information about non-routine tasks. Significant improvements were made to all identified areas, specifically with machine guarding and the hazard communication program.

Working with the Consultation program has helped Hunting Dearborn improve its business practices, employee training and feedback, and reporting systems for incidents. The company also developed more robust programs for air quality and noise monitoring. According to the company, Maine On-Site Consultation has been of great assistance when unique situations arise in its manufacturing facility. Working with the Consultation program has helped Hunting Dearborn decrease incidents and increase employee morale, management commitment, and employee involvement.

The company was recognized with Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status in 2008, and has received renewals every other year since, with the latest renewal in December of 2020. SHARP acknowledges small and medium-sized businesses that have used OSHA On-Site Consultation Program services and operate exemplary workplace safety and health programs. Small businesses that achieve SHARP status receive a deferral from OSHA or the State Plan programmed inspections for the period that the SHARP designation is valid. Acceptance of a worksite into SHARP is an achievement that identifies the employer as a model for occupational safety and health among its business peers.

Since first receiving SHARP recognition in 2008, Hunting Dearborn has continued to enhance its robust program to provide a safer workplace for its employees. The Total Injury and Illness Rate (TIIR) was reduced from a high of 4.3 in 2007, the year before the first Consultation visit, to a low of 0.0 in 2017.  Workers’ compensation costs have also decreased significantly in the same time period, with an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of 0.84 in 2009 and dropping as low as 0.44 in 2016.  In 2020, Hunting Dearborn’s TIIR was 2.0 with an EMR of 0.75.  The company is continually striving to beat its record of 703 days without a recordable incident and 1,169 days without a lost-time incident.

Companies interested in SHARP can contact their local OSHA On-Site Consultation program to discuss details and schedule an on-site safety and health evaluation. To locate the On-Site Consultation program nearest you, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or visit www.osha.gov/consultation.