Learning Center
Company recognized for meeting organization’s ‘7 Benchmarks’ for employee wellness
Nelson-Jameson, a leading distributor in the food processing industry, has announced that it has been named a Silver Well Workplace award winner for 2024. By achieving this designation, Nelson-Jameson is recognized by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) as one of the nation’s healthiest companies.
Silver Well Workplaces have demonstrated that their workplace supports employees’ efforts to engage in wellness behaviors and improve their overall well-being. Over the past decade, the wellness field has evolved to embrace a broader kind of health and wellness and has recognized the value of health-supportive environments and cultures. This movement has guided WELCOA’s “7 Benchmarks” approach.
Six students earn $5,000 provided by the Nelson-Jameson Foundation for college expenses
Nelson-Jameson recently announced the recipients of scholarships through the Nelson-Jameson Foundation (NJF). Six students, Taylor Nielson, Makenzie Skibbie, Danielle Chasten, Grace Cassidy, Kelden Cook, and Julianna Lopez, were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship toward college expenses.
Nielson and Skibbie are currently attending the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and are both pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Food Science and Technology. Chasten, Cassidy, Cook and Lopez are currently attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison
The transportation arm of Nelson-Jameson completed 545,507 accident-free miles
For the third year in a row, NEXT Logistics, part of the Nelson-Jameson Family of Companies, has won a Fleet Safety Award from the Wisconsin Motor Carrier Association (WMCA). NEXT Logistics earned the award by completing 545,507 accident-free miles in Wisconsin, nearly 60,000 more than the company drove the previous year. WMCA is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of Wisconsin’s truck and transportation owners.
There’s no universal solution for a successful Lockout/Tagout program, but it is important to understand the difference in padlocks. The key to understanding lies in the names: “keyed alike” and “keyed different.”
In this guide, we help any organization with Lockout/Tagout needs choose between keyed alike or keyed different padlocks to implement the best system in place for unique needs.
Related: Build a Safety, Protection
SQF: What It Takes to Score 100%
From farm to retail, the SQF (Safe Quality Food) food safety codes are designed to help
Nelson-Jameson is a champion of workplace safety, offering up tips and the right tools to protect workers. In this article, Nelson-Jameson Product Manager Courtney Boeger shares how you can protect staff while preventing costly fines from OSHA. Read on to learn about our approach. Note: This article was originally authored for Industrial Safety and Hygiene News.
Note: This is part 1 of a series of articles showing how the color-coding system can improve safety and efficiency in your facility.
On a global scale, the United States food supply is one of the safest. However, it’s still important to maintain a focus on protecting consumers from preventable foodborne diseases. One simple step can be taken to prevent cross-contamination of allergens that can lead to sickness or extremely costly recalls: a color-coding system for tools.
Color-coding tools, clothing, supplies, and more (see our color-coding products here) in a food processing facility allows for easy and quick identification and communication of information that’s essential for food safety and protects employees and consumers. Designating critical control areas and zones helps your sanitation program by ensuring that the tools stay in the areas
August 12-18 is OSHA Safe + Sound Week 2024. It’s a nationwide event held yearly that recognizes workplace health and safety program successes and provides information and new ideas for keeping workers across the country protected.
Nelson-Jameson is among the 3,900-plus businesses that recognize Safe + Sound Week, and we’re committed to promoting company safety programs and topics across the entire organization.
As a single-source supplier for food, dairy, and beverage processing plants, Nelson-Jameson delivers ingredients while also delivering a comprehensive set of personal protective equipment (PPE) solutions and expert-curated food safety programs
Avian Flu H5N1 has brought a spotlight back to the world of personal protective equipment. In fact, the CDC released new recommendations in May with specific PPE protocols.
However, proper PPE is an evergreen tool for own protection as well as food safety regardless of new potential contaminants.
Recently, Nelson-Jameson joined the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association for a discussion where a panel of dairy industry experts discussed H5N1’s effect on PPE, innovations, and hidden costs when not using the best choices in PPE. Read on to learn more.
From Toes to Above the Nose
Protecting every area of the body with PPE is incredibly important when working with food ingredients. From boots to gloves to eyewear, protection helps prevent cross-contamination and injury. However, comfort and ease of use can be equally important.
And head and eye protection is exceptionally important with H5N1, as humans who have been impacted by H5N1 tend to have symptoms appearing in their eyes. The CDC has made the recommendation that safety goggles or face shields be worn.
Pete Butorac, Technical Sales Manager specializing in Safety/PPE for Nelson-Jameson, joined the panel to discuss the importance of eye protection among other protective headgear and offered some tips on what to look for during the evaluation of eye and head PPE.
Here are some tips on what to look for in eyewear:
- Anti-fog bond
- Scratch resistance
- Interchangeable prescription lenses
- UV protection
- Full circumstance coverage
- Lightweight materials
Features to look for in head PPE:
- Air vents that can be toggled on and off
- Rear head coverage
- Add-on ear muffs
- Cooling inserts
- Reflective stickers for visibility
- Color-coding system to prevent cross-contamination
During the panel, Butorac emphasized the importance of comfrot in addition to protection.
“The easier it is and the more comfortable it is, the more likely it is to be used—and that's ultimately what we need everybody to do is use the stuff that's going to protect them.”
Hands-on Protection and Hidden Costs
Gloves are among the most consumable pieces of PPE in the dairy industry, but the cost goes far beyond the glove itself. As one panelist pointed out, gloves can cause obvious dermal issues and often-overlooked muscle issues. Glove tears can lead to increased glove thickness, which is more taxing on the hand and can lead to costly injuries.
Additionally, the hand is the most common site affected by occupational skin disease, impacting almost 2 million people with costs of up to $2 billion annually.
What to look for in protective gloves:
- Adequate gripping ability and cut resistance
- Chemical protection
- Flexible and lightweight
- Touch screen compatible
- Suitable for extremely high and low temperatures
High-quality gloves benefit both employees and employers. Employees can minimize exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins while reducing pain and discomfort, which improves job satisfaction. Quality hand protection also improves organizational efficiency by reducing waste and employee time off for recovery.
With thousands of options with different materials, textures, lengths, colors, and shelf life, gloves are not one-size-fits-all. So be sure to find a supplier that is and can meet all of your unique needs.
Your One-Stop Shop for PPE
Avian Flu H5N1 has resurfaced the conversation around PPE. It’s as important as ever to ensure that your team has equipment that is equal parts safety and comfort.
Nelson-Jameson is your single-source distributor for PPE, combining the expertise and technical support to protect your entire team while consolidating your supply management!
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a virus that can infect both domestic poultry and wild birds. However, research has shown that mammals such as dairy cattle can contract the Avian flu virus if they come into contact with infected birds or contaminated materials. Older cattle are more susceptible to infection and may exhibit symptoms such as fever, reduced appetite, and reduced milk production quality and quantity. Fortunately, infected cattle usually recover within 2-3 weeks.
According to USDA, FDA, and CDC reports, the Avian Flu has been found in unpasteurized milk from affected herds. However, the reports indicate that the US dairy supply is safe and free from contamination. Dairy producers must exclude milk from human consumption if it is sourced from an unhealthy animal.
A robust cleaning and sanitation program can help prevent the spread of HPAIv. To ensure the safety of employees and products, Nelson-Jameson offers a range of protective equipment
