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TRSA Seeks Broad Participation in Industry Safety Survey

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) is urging all uniform rental and linen supply companies to participate in the Industry Safety Survey, a project now under way that quantifies launderers’ success in reducing workplace illnesses and injuries.
The survey questionnaire is available for download at www.safetrsa.org. Deadline to respond is July 15.
Involving non-members in the research makes the survey more representative of the industry as a whole, strengthening TRSA’s contention that laundry work is getting safer. Presenting such evidence could prompt the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to take these gains into account when planning programmed inspections of industry facilities, says Charlie Sewell, TRSA’s vice president of government affairs.
“We should accumulate as much data as possible to prove we should not be targeted,” he explains. “The more companies that participate, the stronger our case that laundry work is safer than ever. With more inspectors coming online and the more aggressive orientation of the Obama administration, we need to be proactive.”
A research group is managing the survey and will treat all data confidentially, according to TRSA. Participant data will be aggregated in a way that prevents identification of any individual company.
Companies benefit from survey participation by comparing their results against like operations. Statistics are calculated for plants and depots, including number of employees and product mix (linen, industrial, mixed). Productivity measures, such as pounds per employee and facility, are also included.
Last year’s survey, just released to commemorate National Safety Month, demonstrates marked improvement across all industry segments from 2005 to 2008. Results indicated that a typical laundry facility had 34.6% fewer work-related injuries, with a typically reported incident rate (TRIR) of 7.0 per 100 employees. The rate of incidents resulting in days away from work, restricted activity, or job transfer (DART) was 4.8, down 25%.
All TRSA member companies in good standing that participate in the 2010 survey will receive a copy of the research at no charge and a customized report for benchmarking (other TRSA members may purchase it). Non-members who participate in this effort may buy the report and custom data at the member price, the association says.
 

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