Safety is embedded in every step of creating the outdoor recreation products our customers enjoy. From innovative designs that elevate the user experience to assembling each product in our factories and beyond, the safety of our customers and our team members remains at the core. Every role contributes to a seamless safety chain. Our environmental health and safety (EHS) managers across all our brands at Winnebago Industries lead the way, recognizing that it takes all of us to carry safety forward —on and off the production floor.
Listening, learning and leading through safety
Safety is more than a checklist, it’s a shared responsibility that begins with showing up. Listening to employees and acting on their feedback is essential to strengthening safety processes.
“I like to engage with people. I like to talk to them and see what’s going on,” says Jeremy Mitchell, EHS manager for Winnebago Motorhome. “I love their feedback. They’re the ones spending eight, nine, 10 hours a day doing their job.”
Jeremy believes building a culture of safety means meeting people where they are and educating them on best safety practices. He understands that not everyone will absorb safety messages the same way.
That’s why Jeremy and other EHS managers take a hands-on approach. They walk the plant floor, consistently communicating about safety and implementing accountability tools like Jeremy’s critical four audit. The critical four audit helps make safety proactive and accessible for everyone, and includes four key questions to assess training, machine guarding, lockout procedures and risk management for equipment.
Building habits that stick
Mike Lueskow, EHS director at Chris-Craft, knows that a strong safety culture requires structure and coaching.
When he joined the iconic boat brand, he started with a full-scale assessment, evaluating 96 key elements across compliance, policies and day-to-day operations. Taking a step-by-step approach, he built programs for forklift safety, fall protection, respiratory protection and more. Each part of the process included training and coaching for frontline employees as well as supervisors and managers.
“An individual can make a difference, but they can’t make a culture change,” he explained. “To change a culture, you must explain the ‘why,’ educate and mentor people, and communicate the expectations. When every individual is aligned and operating with a common mindset, that’s the culture change.”
That mindset shapes his method.
“If you work on something for 66 days, it becomes a habit. That’s exactly what we did,” Mike said. “We started with inspections, then moved into teaching and coaching. We continued to relive it for over 66 days until employees understood that this was the expectation.”
Mike’s strategy also included Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, hazard identification sessions and other safety-focused programs designed to protect and empower employees, as well as build a culture of safety without compromise.
Safety you can’t always see
Keeping employees healthy and safe also takes people like Connie DeVolder, whose role as occupational health manager for Winnebago Industries is critical to workplace safety. Her focus includes safety measures to protect team members from harm that may not be evident to the naked eye.
“In some of our businesses, there are airborne substances and other potential risks from standard production processes that could affect employees’ health and wellbeing long-term,” says Connie. “I work to ensure we are providing compliant respiratory protection, hearing tests and other OSHA standards designed to keep people safe and help prevent long-term health complications.”
When illness and injury do happen, quick and convenient care is key to helping employees heal and regain their health. Recognizing the need for accessible care, Connie launched the first on-site health clinic at Grand Design in 2022. Since then, on-site care has expanded to Winnebago Towables and Motorhome locations, as well as Newmar and Barletta.
“One of our core values is to put people first, and helping to ensure their health and safety is a big part of that,” she adds.
Safety is a shared responsibility
At Winnebago Industries, safety isn’t just a priority, it’s the foundation of everything we do. Our EHS teams are leading the charge to cultivate a workplace culture where safety is at the center and everyone understands the role they play in keeping themselves and others safe.