Continental Mills, Inc. Cooks Up a Winning Safety Trend

Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize Continental Mills, Inc. as the 2015 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award. 

Continental Mills, a manufacturer of premium dry-mix baked goods led by their Krusteaz® brand pancake, muffin, and cookie mixes, as well as their Ghirardelli® brownie mix, operates four manufacturing and distribution centers with corporate offices in Tukwila, WA.

Continental Mills, Inc. was chosen for the award because over the past eight years they achieved an 87% reduction in injury incident rates.  Though they started with an incident rate that was already well below the national average, further decreases since 2014 have moved them to a “Best in Class” ranking in their industry. The award was presented to Continental Mills on
June 24th, 2016.

Continental Mills employed a company-wide strategy led by Bob Toohey, CSP, Senior Manager of EHS, to improve their safety systems including:

• a goal of 100% employee involvement with program ownership by operations leaders,
• use of internal safety systems audits for continuing improvement, and
• establishing a “Risk Predictions” model and campaign for employee use on multiple levels in planning safe daily work.

John Heily, CEO & Chairman of the Board at Continental Mills stated “We are very proud of the recognition we have received from the Evergreen Safety Council for promoting a culture of safety in the workplace.  This recognition truly belongs to the 800 Continental Mills employees that make a safe workplace environment a reality.  We will continue to invest, collaborate, train, and listen to our workforce, and strive to achieve our preferred future which is having an accident free environment.

The annual John D. Spellman Safety Award was created in 2006 to recognize ESC members that have demonstrated outstanding safety achievements or have shown they are actively pursuing and reinforcing a positive safety culture in their workplace.  The award also recognizes Governor John D.
Spellman. King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor, Governor Spellman has also been a member of ESC’s Board of Directors for more than 35 years and has served as Chairman of the Board since 1998.

Family-owned Continental Mills, Inc. began operating in 1932 and produces more than 500 products under several breakfast, baking, and snack brands. Continental Mills headquarters is located in Tukwila, WA and employs 800 people between the Corporate office and four manufacturing facilities in Washington, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas.  CM products are sold through retail, foodservice, and club store channels throughout the United States.

Contributed by Tom Odegaard, President/Executive Director Evergreen Safety Council