Cascades Sonoco Inc. of Lakewood is the first Washington business to be recognized for safety and health under the Safety Through Achieving Recognition Together program, or START, a new venture administered by The Department of Labor and Industries.

"The goal of this program is to showcase those businesses with excellent safety and health programs as a way of encouraging other companies to improve their safety efforts," said Lynda Stoneberg, L&I's statewide consultation manager for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

As part of L&I's START program, safety and health experts visited Cascades Sonoco, which produces roll wrap for paper products, to review its workplace hazards that include a die cutter and a slitting and rewinding machine. The team also examined the company's safety and health program and interviewed both workers and managers.

A key requirement for companies in the START program is having an injury rate below their industry average for at least a year. While the most important benefit to companies is a safer workplace, this also can often lead to lower worker compensation rates.

Businesses that earn START status are approved for one year with up to three 18-month renewals. As long as the companies have START certification, they are exempt from routine visits by L&I compliance officers.

For information on START, click here or  call (360) 902-5735.