GRANTS PASS - Fleming Convenience Distribution, formerly Core-Mark International, was presented an award by Oregon OSHA on November 22nd marking the employer's sixth year in the Safety and Health Recognition Program (SHARP). Core-Mark is the first Oregon employer to reach six years in the innovative safety-and-health management program.

Oregon OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) recognizes employers who make a commitment to improving workplace safety, reducing their injury and illness rates and develop safe practices which become a model for safe workplaces in Oregon. Core-Mark was the fourth employer in Oregon to enter the SHARP program when it was introduced by Oregon OSHA.

Fleming Convenience Distribution distributes a broad line of products to convenience stores, fast food outlets, and convenience sections of supermarkets. The full-service nature of Fleming's grocery operations demands a significant amount of manual material handling of products, which could result in ergonomic or repetitive motion type injuries. Safety programs introduced by Core-Mark have reduced injuries, reduced turnover at the Grants Pass facility and reduced workers' compensation costs.

"The SHARP program has positively affected our operations," says Jack Cooper, Fleming's Division Operations Manager for Grants Pass. "Our productivity and morale have improved, while our sick days taken and error rates to customers have dropped dramatically. SHARP has enabled a small division like Grants Pass to make a positive bottom line in years when sales and merchandise income were not there. The cost associated with SHARP is minimal when compared to our workers' compensation injury cost savings."

SHARP is a recognition program that provides an incentive and road map for Oregon employers to work with their employees to find and correct hazards, to develop and implement effective safety-and-health programs, to continuously improve, and become self-sufficient in managing occupational safety-and-health issues. Oregon employers who have been in business for more than one year are eligible to apply for SHARP regardless of size or type of business.

For more information about the SHARP program, please contact the Oregon OSHA SHARP Program Manager, Mark Hurliman at 503-947-7437. On the Web, you can find out more about Oregon OSHA at www.orosha.org