North Carolina DC is two million hours injury free

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina—Clothing manufacturer HanesBrands’s Cleveland Distribution Center, located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, was one of 34 facilities in the state of North Carolina to achieve two million employee hours without injury in 2016.

NC Department of Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry visited the DC to present the certificate to Joel Long, director of distribution for HanesBrands, on behalf of the facility’s more than 500 employees. The NCDOL million-hour safety awards are given to facilities that accumulate one million or more employee hours with no cases of injury or illness that involve days away from work.

“It is important that we recognize companies when they exceed expectations of safety and health in their workplace, and the HanesBrands facility in Kings Mountain has demonstrated that commitment with this recent 2 million-man hour award,” Commissioner Berry said.

Long commended the Cleveland Distribution Center team for the achievement: “Safety is a top priority at HanesBrands, and a responsibility that each of us at the Cleveland Distribution Center owns – both for ourselves and those we work with. Achieving two million safe hours is a reflection of the strong teamwork and focus of everyone who works here.”

The Cleveland Distribution Center, which ships intimate apparel orders for Bali, Playtex and Maidenform, from department-store and mid-tier retailers, has a long track record of safe operations. The facility has earned six consecutive NCDOL Gold Safety Awards (2011-2016) and achieved one million safe hours in 2016.

The company’s Canterbury Distribution Center, which is co-located with Cleveland, also has a strong safety record. The facility, which employs nearly 400 operators who ship Hanes, Playtex and Just My Size products to mass and regional retailers, has received five consecutive NCDOL Gold Safety Awards (2012-2016), one Silver Award (2011) and achieved one million safe hours in February 2016.

Since 2014, Hanes has expanded the Kings Mountain facilities a combined 235,000 square feet and added 285 jobs to handle increased volume and responsibilities.