MINNEAPOLIS, MN. – Pollux Manufacturing, Inc., Minneapolis, MN has been named the latest Minnesota Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MNSHARP) work site. Pollux Manufacturing is the 24th company to achieve this status and the only stone company in the state of Minnesota with this designation.

MNSHARP was started in 1996 and recognizes companies whose managers and employees work together to develop safety and health programs that go beyond basic compliance with all of OSHA standards, and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses.

To achieve this status, Pollux Manufacturing worked with the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry’s Workplace Safety Consultation unit to develop and implement an effective written safety program to meet or exceed OSHA standards. Key elements of the program include:

    • Management leadership and employee involvement
    • An allocation of resources to address safety issues
    • Systems that identify and control workplace hazards and
    • A plan for employee safety training and education.

“It’s an honor and a tribute to our system to be recognized by MNSHARP,” said Roland Pfender, chief operating officer of Pollux Manufacturing, Inc. “We will continue to maintain and further improve our safety and health standards in accordance with the MNSHARP status.” Pollux Manufacturing will be recognized further at a Governor’s Safety Award Luncheon by Minnesota Governor Pawlenty in May.

Founded in 2003, Pollux Manufacturing, Inc. is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility of engineered stones, primarily DuPont’s Zodiaq® quartz surfaces, and granite to service fabricators and installers of these products. Pollux is a “wholesale” manufacturer and as such does not install these products but rather provides finished countertops to its customer base. It uses an integrated system of software, processes and machines to manufacture countertops.