Sept. 12, 2008

D.J. Kranz receives safety and health award, recognized Sept. 18

Workplace safety and health representatives from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) will recognize D.J. Kranz Co., Inc., for its achievement as a Minnesota Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MNSHARP) Construction worksite at the Maple Grove Hospital. The recognition event will be at 11 a.m., Sept. 18, at 9875 Hospital Drive, in Maple Grove, Minn.

MNSHARP Construction is a Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) program that recognizes major-construction companies where managers and employees work together to develop safety and health programs that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses. Only construction projects at least 18 months in duration are eligible for participation in MNSHARP Construction.

"We congratulate D.J. Kranz for being the first hospital worksite to achieve MNSHARP Construction status," said Steve Sviggum, Department of Labor and Industry commissioner. "We applaud their efforts to design and implement a safety and health plan that ensures more workers will go home at night in the same condition they came to work in that morning."

To achieve MNSHARP Construction status, D.J. Kranz Company worked with MNOSHA Workplace Safety Consultation at the Maple Grove Hospital site to assemble a comprehensive safety and health program that includes management leadership and employee involvement, an allocation of resources to address safety issues, systems that identify and control workplace hazards, and a plan for employee safety training and education.

"Safety is the first priority at D.J. Kranz. The MNSHARP program is a milestone in for our safety program and truly exemplifies our dedication to the safety and health of our employees," said Bruce Quam, D.J. Kranz vice president and project manager. "Partnering with OSHA has been extremely beneficial; they have demonstrated an important role in safety education for all the trades, management and corporate safety directors. We are proud to earn MNSHARP status on the Maple Grove Hospital project."

D.J. Kranz Co., Inc., Minneapolis, offers construction services for a variety of projects, ranging from hospitals and medical facilities to automotive dealerships, churches and manufacturing facilities.

The Maple Grove Hospital opens December 2009 and is a partnership between North Memorial and Fairview. It will contain 90 beds (all private patient rooms) and provide a variety of services to the growing population in the northwest metro area.

DLI representatives will commemorate the company's employee-employer partnership by presenting a MNSHARP flag and a certificate that exempts the worksite from MNOSHA Compliance scheduled inspections for one year.

MNSHARP Construction began in Minnesota in 2007. D.J. Kranz is one of three current certified MNSHARP Construction worksites in Minnesota. For more information, visit www.dli.mn.gov/mnsharp.asp.

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News media contact:
James Honerman
(651) 284-5313