Safety is a shared responsibility that connects every brand, facility and employee. The Winnebago Industries safety center of excellence (COE) helps bring that commitment to life through its focus on safer ways of working across the enterprise.
“Our role is to support our businesses,” said James Murray, vice president, enterprise health, safety and security (EHSS). “We’re focused on three objectives: preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs), reducing recordable injuries and developing standardized systems that help teams do both.”
Each business has its own environment and risks. Rather than a one-size-fits all model, the safety COE works closely with teams to tailor approaches that meet those needs while reinforcing a shared framework of standards.
Focusing on what matters most
A key part of that framework is prioritizing core risks with the greatest potential impact, especially SIFs. The COE develops enterprise-level standards for core risks, combining requirements from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) with industry best practices.
One example is lockout/tagout, a critical process where machines are powered down and physically locked to protect employees during equipment maintenance.
“Businesses value having a COE for safety because many of these topics are tied to OSHA rules and regulations,” said Namrata Joshi, manager, EHSS data & program. “It can take a lot of time to read, interpret and implement those requirements. Our team does a lot of that lifting and provides tools and templates to help them put standards into action.”
The COE also provides adaptable training tools through software that specializes in workplace safety management education.
“The training platform comes with a large library of safety topics,” said Joshi. “It not only provides pre-built training that teams can adopt but also gives them the flexibility to create their own.”
Built on shared learning
The COE’s work is highly collaborative. Safety leaders across business units regularly share best practices, provide feedback and help shape standards. “If someone is doing something really well, we let them run with it, then have them come back and share with the group,” said Murray. “From there, it becomes easier for others to adopt.”
Every employee plays a role
While the COE prioritizes building safer systems by eliminating hazards through thoughtful design of products, processes, equipment and workplaces, it ultimately depends on its people.
As Murray notes, “We want our employees to go home each day able to enjoy the outdoors just like our customers.”