Making Safety a Priority

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all safety plan for manufacturing facilities, and nobody understands that better than Jack Hasken. Jack Hasken is president and CEO of Jackson Manufacturing, a custom plastic injection molding facility in Maquoketa, Iowa. Jack runs the company with his wife, Sarah, who is instrumental in setting the company’s strategic and manufacturing goals. 

Jack knew that updating and customizing the company’s existing safety program was the surest way to reduce workplace injuries and accidents. He also knew that CIRAS, part of the MEP National Network™, could connect him with an expert to help him meet his goal. 

Brian Muff, a CIRAS project manager who connects Iowa State faculty with Iowa industry, called on James Wright, an associate teaching professor and founding director of the Safety Training Instruction and Research Center in the Iowa State Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Wright conducted an occupational safety and health optimization review to identify gaps in Jackson’s safety practices, programs, policies, and procedures. His work resulted in a new safety manual written according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and general industry best practices. Some of the manual’s components include a self-inspection safety list, safety handbook, and pocket guides with information on preventing accidents and injuries in the workplace. The materials Wright provided will help Jackson Manufacturing meet current regulatory standards and allow growth in markets not currently accessible.