At K&B, the communities within which we operate are important to us. As such, every effort is made to promote environmentally safe facilities. We address this goal through continuous monitoring of outfall drainage and conducting regular sampling to maintain discharge compliance. Effective environmental controls are in place to afford us water recycling and reuse capabilities.

All K&B facilities utilize a third-party contractor to dispose of our hazardous and non-hazardous waste. This prevents any and all unapproved disposal of hazardous waste at any of our facilities. We also provide training to our personnel regarding the identification, handling, storage, and proper disposal of all our hazardous materials.

HEALTH

In an effort to meet our objective of providing a safe and healthy workplace for our employees and contractors, we have implemented the following:

Hearing Conservation Program
Respiratory Protection Program
Workplace Violence Prevention and Awareness Training
Ergonomics and Office Safety Training

In addition, we provide employees with a benefits package that includes a health and wellness feature. This benefit is designed to encourage all employees to obtain annual wellness and fitness checks with their primary medical care provider.

HEARING CONSERVATION

Periodic noise dosimeter readings are performed and documented to ensure that our employees are not overexposed to excessive noise. In those areas where the noise level is above the permissible exposure limit, we have posted the appropriate signage as required by OSHA standards. We also require employees to wear hearing protection, which we provide, as part of their personal protective equipment attire. Our HSE Department provides training regarding the proper use of personal protective equipment, and it is discussed at all pre-shift toolbox meetings.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PROGRAM

When necessary, employees are provided personal respirators for use during the course of their duties. Periodic monitoring of workplace air quality is conducted by an outside certified industrial hygienist to prevent the possibility of accidental exposure.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS

As part of our safety meetings, we provide training regarding Workplace Violence Prevention and Awareness. This enables employees to become familiar with the typical signs of trouble before it has the opportunity to escalate.

SAFETY

Our goal at K&B Industries is to provide a safe and healthful work environment for all employees and contractors while complying with all local, state and federal regulatory agency requirements. In doing so, we can provide a quality product that meets our customers’ requirements, while preserving the health and welfare of our employees, the environment, and the surrounding communities.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS

As part of our continuing effort to improve our safety record and maintain the safe operations of our facilities, we have taken a proactive approach by incorporating the following items into our daily operations:

Employee compliance training requirements
New hire orientation and facility/job site hazard awareness
First Aid, CPR, and AED instruction for the employee and family
Visitor and Contractor Safety Orientation Program
On-the-job training and mentorship

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

Our corrective and preventive action program promotes a sense of ownership for all employees. This is accomplished through a process by which employees document safety observations on specialized cards, which are collected and reviewed weekly by the HSE Administrator and Senior Management. Implementation of corrective actions and changes to processes and/or procedures are ensured through continual monitoring and daily safety walkthroughs of the facility. The effectiveness of these changes is documented by the facility HSE Representative and reported accordingly.

ERGONOMICS AND OFFICE SAFETY

Our office and administrative staff have been provided with up-to-date office equipment and are required to attend training regularly regarding Ergonomics and Office Safety. Periodic inspections of the office areas are conducted to ensure that all personnel are working in an ergonomically safe manner.

EMPLOYEE SAFETY COMMUNICATION

K&B conducts safety meetings to help ensure our facilities are safe for K&B employees and contractors. During these meetings, we gather employee feedback to obtain ideas and discuss solutions to issues regarding processes, equipment, and/or procedures.

Each division conducts daily toolbox meetings prior to the beginning of each shift to ensure that all aspects of the job at hand are discussed with all employees involved in the operation, with a specific focus on any specific hazards. Before starting any non-routine operation, our HSE Department conducts a hazard assessment in conjunction with the division manager and personnel involved. A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) form is completed at the work site to document all steps that could pose a safety hazard. These steps are then communicated to all personnel involved in the operations.

OSHA COMPLIANCE TRAINING

Our HSE Administrator and senior management have designed a training curriculum for all K&B employees specific to their positions. Following the guidelines of OSHA Standard for General Industry, 29 CFR 1910, we conduct training at our facility with an in-house instructor.

We also provide training to employees who volunteer as on-the-job Lay Responders, as well as their family members; certified American Red Cross training in Basic First Aid; adult and child CPR; and AED. First-aid awareness training is required for all employees and is provided in-house to all personnel regardless of their responder duties.