A Nautilus manufacturing facility that produces high-quality fitness equipment has been honored as one of only three companies throughout Oklahoma to earn a certificate for its excellent record in workplace safety and health.
The special honor, described as the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) certificate, is presented annually by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Labor. On hand for the presentation were: Brenda Reneau, chair of the state Department of Labor; Randall Brogdon, state senator; and Diana Jones, Oklahoma’s director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“This SHARP certification further shows our commitment to excellence, both in the equipment we make and in the workplace we maintain,” said Jamey Jameson, who has managed the Tulsa facility since 2004. “As a testament to this commitment, our facility has also achieved registration of its quality management system under ISO 9001:2000, an international standard published by the International Organization for Standardization to improve product and service quality in manufacturing facilities worldwide.”
The facility currently employs more than 170 people manufacturing Nautilus and StairMaster branded cardiovascular equipment, such as steppers, treadmills and elliptical machines. The facility was selected as the manufacturing home of a new cardiovascular product, the Nautilus TreadClimber machine, which is set to debut in selected commercial fitness clubs beginning in the second quarter of 2005. A model of TreadClimber designed for home use is manufactured in Tyler, Texas, and became the best-performing new product in the innovative fitness company’s 20-year history.
Vancouver, Wash.-based Nautilus acquired the StairMaster brand and assets in 2001, and has maintained the plant in Tulsa where it manufactured more than 17,000 cardiovascular products in 2004. That number is likely to grow as more people around the world rely upon leading branded fitness products to help them adopt a fit and healthy lifestyle.
THE SHARP program was designed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) and recognizes small employers who operate an exemplary workplace safety and health management system. The award is granted following successful completion of a comprehensive consultation and assessment process that addresses potential physical or environmental hazards and unsafe workplace practices. Through this program, employers learn how to implement and maintain a safe and healthy workplace through effective safety and health management policies. The receipt of SHARP certification exempts a small business from OSHA’s general inspections for a period of two years.
