Placing a Priority on Workplace Safety

JVIS’s reputation for excellence in the manufacturing industry is an extension of the excellence and expertise of our workforce.
We place a limitless value on our employees. Workplace safety has always been our top priority because we believe our employees’ well-being and security allow them to focus on finding the best solutions for every client need.
“Safety is something we take very, very seriously. It’s something we start in the orientation for new employees, making sure everyone understands the value we place on that,” said Nicole Kafoury, general manager of the JVIS Shelby plants. “Our buildings are very well-lit and very clean, and we want to keep it that way because it only enhances safety in the workplace.
“In addition, we also are prepared to react to public health and safety measures,” she continued. “For example, during the onset of the COVID outbreak, we established visitor protocols and travel policies early on and continued to increase sanitation measures throughout our facilities. Through such an unprecedented time the health and safety of our employees remained a top priority.”
While U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration sets and enforces the overarching standards regarding the education, promotion and implementation of workplace health and safety standards to protect employees for unnecessary hazards, JVIS takes its responsibility seriously to ensure those standards are met and exceeded.
“We do have a lot of training, and you are required to have specific certifications to work on specific tasks,” Kafoury said. “For example, we have people here who are certified to operate a Hi-Lo.”
At the Shelby facilities, specifically, Kafoury noted that there is very little employee turnover. She said having a highly experienced and knowledgeable workforce has helped the plants’ safety record. When a new employee is hired, Kafoury said they start out in assignments at some of the less intense workstations to nurture a mindfulness of surroundings before being tasked with more complex undertakings.
“That way, they get to know what they’re doing and familiarize themselves with our facilities and get a full understanding of our safety priorities and practices,” Kafoury said. “It’s a very controlled environment — you’re not allowed on the floor without safety glasses. We have protection for rings and other jewelry and if they are opening boxes, they’re using safety blades.
“What we’re trying to do is take away the opportunity for injury,” she added.
Shelby’s record of being an injury-free workplace reflects the level of commitment the company places on avoiding employee hazards, with Kafoury noting that “even if they got a paper cut and needed a Band-Aid, if it gets reported, it counts” as an on-the-job injury.
At JVIS, workplace safety is a critical component to the overall company culture. “It’s companywide. JVIS places a very high emphasis on it,” Kafoury said.
Emphasizing safety as part of our workplace culture translates to increased worker productivity, improved service and quality, and better employee morale — which benefits both our valued employees and our customers.
“When you have everyone buying into the idea of safety, and it becomes something they are proud of, it makes a big difference,” Kafoury said. “They take ownership of it and they see themselves as being a big part of it.”
At JVIS, we not only value the quality of our components, but the quality working conditions for our employees.