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Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Purdue MEP Assists Marson International in Safety Success!

With the help of: Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership

About

Started in 2002, Marson International has become the leader in large and small-diameter tube fabrication for a diverse customer base. Located in Elkhart, Indiana, they maintain a comprehensive, versatile, and state-of-the-art production facility capable of manufacturing the most critical and sophisticated tube assemblies. Their capabilities range from rapid prototyping, through low and mid-volume production, to high-volume runs requiring manufacturing cells.

The Challenge

After employee turnover, Marson International needed a full-time safety manager to serve its Elkhart facility's approximately 160 employees. In the interim, the responsibilities of the position were spread among other employees with full-time positions and the overall safety metrics reflected the lack of attention. Through an active search, Marson found a candidate who needed an apprenticeship to get up to speed for the rigors of the safety manager position and the company’s potential safety risks.
When I arrived at Marson International the first thing we did was assemble a safety committee to work on the challenges of creating a safer working environment, where the employees were actively involved in the safety process. Through the Purdue MEP instructor, we formed a safety committee to meet monthly and have slowly changed the culture to one of safety first. We are now approaching six months of recordable injury-free. This would not be possible if not for the OSHA 30-Hour training and support granted to us by Purdue University.
— Dave Eli, Safety Manager

MEP's Role

Purdue MEP, part of the MEP National Network™, worked with Marson International and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to submit the grant application that would ultimately pay for the safety apprenticeship. Purdue MEP then customized an 18-week program that focused on Occupational Safety and Health development as well as some leadership and soft-skills training. One day a week for 18 weeks, a Purdue MEP team member was onsite working with the safety manager-in-training throughout the duration of the apprenticeship. The program also included an OSHA-30 Hour General Industry training for 7 employees.

The benefits of the apprenticeship program are numerous. During a 24-week time period, Marson had 0 OSHA recordable injuries, leading to 0 hours of missed work due to injuries, and 0 hours of employee time spent back-filling positions. Worker’s Compensation costs and insurance premiums have gone down and will continue to be reduced based on their 3-year rolling EMR (Experience Modification Rate). 

Several employee initiatives have been enacted and well-received, including the creation of a safety committee comprised of employees from multiple departments, providing the employees with a voice in all safety initiatives. The committee works on several over-arching goals including the reduction of work-related hazards, hazard prevention and addressing any near-miss issues. The leadership team has hosted company-wide celebrations when major milestones were achieved and continues to support new initiatives.

Created January 31, 2024