Quality takes hard work

Cook Inc. celebrates Safety and Quality Month

National Safety Month is June and National Quality Month is October in the US. This year, Cook Inc. is going to celebrate both in October, and we are calling it Safety and Quality Month. We will dive into the first two terms of our safety, quality, delivery, and cost (SQDC) model.

Safety and Quality Month – Why are we celebrating it?

Our goal is to increase awareness of the safety program at Cook Inc., which aims to reduce safety and health risks that can cause unintentional injury and death at work, on the road, and in homes and communities. In addition, we will showcase the quality advancements and valuable contributions we all make to fulfill our quality policy: “Deliver quality products in a timely manner.”

This month will allow us to shine a light on the company and on the individuals striving to provide excellence through safety and quality, and to showcase the positive impact these programs have made at Cook Inc.

Workplace safety in the US

The American Industrial Revolution occurred during the later 19th century and was a time of horrendous working conditions. During that period, workers were not given enough space to work safely, and their equipment was often dangerous to work with. These conditions raised awareness of the safety of those who worked in mines, factories, and textile mills.

By 1890, 14 states had issued laws to improve safety standards for American workers. The US government did not truly become involved until 1911, when a fire broke out at the Shirtwaist Factory in New York and workers were trapped inside because the fire exit doors were locked.

Numerous federal laws were implemented over the following decades to improve labor conditions, and in 1996, the National Safety Council created National Safety Month to spread awareness of safety hazards and workplace injuries.

Quality in the US

The idea to inject quality into industrial production was introduced in 1919 and driven by the desire to improve the production of unreliable munitions after World War I. Over one hundred years later, that passion for providing trusted products endures because of the outstanding work we do every day.

A major influence on quality was the rapid industrialization of Japan after World War II. Japan did not have much in the way of natural resources. This, coupled with poor-quality products, left its companies in a position where they could not compete with other countries. Japan looked for help to improve the quality of their products and found it in W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran–two Americans.

Soon enough, “Made in Japan” become an emblem of quality around the globe.

National Quality Month started in Japan in 1960 and was first celebrated in the US in 1988. At the time, the US was losing economic footing to Japan, which had embraced quality management and its concepts. This caused a stir in the United States and jump-started a quality resurgence.

We all share in safety and quality

Perception might be reality, but as you well know, just because somebody says a product or service is “quality” doesn’t make it true. A quality system is a complex combination of customer experience, product, service, and process improvement. Quality takes hard work. Those doing the hard work—and getting results—should be celebrated.

2020 was the first year Cook Inc. celebrated Quality Month. Due to COVID, planned on-site activities were replaced with video presentations of patient experiences and internal success stories. We can thank the Safety team for working extraordinarily hard over the past year to implement policies to help keep us safe.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and Quality Assurance (QA) cannot control safety and quality alone. Every employee is responsible for both quality and safety with their decisions, behavior, and work. Ultimately, the output of employee safety and product quality is the result of all people in the organization working together as a team.

Things to know

This year, we are having some fun with virtual trivia games and prizes, in addition to both safety and quality videos highlighting internal successes. These celebrations are planned for all Cook Inc. sites with weekly drawings for winners for each site.

By participating in Safety and Quality Month activities, you will find information to improve your awareness of Cook Inc. safety programs and quality initiatives. We will celebrate successes and highlight the positive impact of safety and quality on our employees, customers, and patients.

This month is also a time to share stories. The success stories might involve small steps made to improve a process or product, or they could identify large gains through a year-long initiative. After learning something exciting, there is something satisfying in sharing it with someone else. Without sharing, we’re not allowing others to benefit from lessons learned. Sharing these stories promotes excellence through safety and quality.

Celebrating Safety and Quality Month provides opportunities to reflect on the significance of your work and its importance to the company. In addition, take a moment to think about how you can put safety and quality into practice in your daily life.

Safety and Quality Month is also a time to share stories. The stories might involve small steps made to improve a process or product, or they could identify large gains through a year-long initiative. Sharing these stories promotes excellence through safety and quality.

After learning something exciting, there is something satisfying in sharing it with someone else. Without sharing, we’re not allowing others to benefit from lessons learned.

During Safety and Quality Month, take a moment to think about how you can put safety into practice in your daily life. Let’s celebrate safety and draw attention to prevention efforts we can take throughout the entire year—from the workplace to anyplace.

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