ILLINOIS, July 22 - Winning Wheels recognized for outstanding safety and health management

PROPHETSTOWN, Ill. - The Illinois Department of Labor's (IDOL) On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program (On-Site) is proud to announce Winning Wheels, a care center in Prophetstown, has successfully achieved Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status.

"Winning Wheels has joined an elite group of businesses across Illinois that have gone above and beyond when it comes to workplace safety," said On-Site's Safety Consultant Dwight Brugh. "Long-term care facilities face many unique challenges, making it difficult for them to uphold a high standard in both safety and health, but Winning Wheels continues to impress with their dedication to safe working conditions for their employees, and safe living conditions for their residents."

"On behalf of Winning Wheels, Inc., I would like to thank the Illinois Department of Labor for the opportunity to be certified in the SHARP program," said Winning Wheels Director of Safety Mike Chastain. "I'd also like the thank Mica Chunes and the On-Site Consultation team from IDOL for their assistance and guidance in making this possible for our facility."

Winning Wheels and its 80-plus employees provide services ranging from short-term care to rehabilitative therapy, to independent living.

"The management and staff of Winning Wheels has always been driven to make our facility a safe place, because a safe work environment makes our facility the safest place for our resident to live and thrive," Chastain said. "Winning Wheels proudly accepts our SHARP certification and will continue to maintain our pursuit of making safety a priority in our workplace."

The SHARP process can be months long, but when successfully completed, puts small businesses in a prestigious national group committed to the safety and health of their workers. Small businesses can start the process by doing the following:

• Request a comprehensive safety and health consultation visit through On-Site.
• Correct any hazards identified.
• Implement a safety and health management system that addresses OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.
• Maintain your company's Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate and Total Recordable Case (TRC) rate below the national average for your industry
• Agree to notify On-Site of any changes in the working conditions or introduction of new hazards into the workplace.

Upon receiving SHARP recognition, federal OSHA exempts a worksite from OSHA-programmed inspections during the period that SHARP certification is valid. Other benefits of SHARP include the following:

• Development of an innovative safety and health management system.
• Boosted employee morale by creating a safe and healthy workplace.
• Increased involvement of employees to continuously improve workplace conditions.
• Improved efficiency by lowering worker compensation costs.

On-Site offers free and confidential safety and health on-site consultations for employers with up to 250 employees on site and 500 nationwide. The Illinois On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program can help Illinois businesses meet federal OSHA health and safety regulations and can assist those companies interested in pursuing SHARP status.

If you have questions about On-Site, you can call 800-972- 4216, send an email to dol.consultation@illinois.gov or visit the Worksafe website.