Pete’s Machine, a division of the Progressive Foundry in Perry, received the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award from the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in ceremonies Wednesday morning.
The SHARP award recognizes small- and medium-sized businesses that stand out from their peers for their exemplary safety and health management systems. Participants in the SHARP program are exempt from routine OSHA inspections while their certificate is valid.
A full-service machining operation, Pete’s Machine is one of only five businesses in Iowa to attain the award. The business is named in honor of Dallas “Pete” VanKirk, the longtime owner of the Progressive Foundry and a noted Perry philanthropist.
Presenting the award Wednesday morning at the Bateman Street shop were Iowa OSHA Administrator Adam Lathrop, Iowa OSHA Bureau Chief for Consultation and Education Peggy Peterson and Iowa OSHA Consultant Joe Sawyer.
Accepting the award were Darek VanKirk, owner of Pete’s Machine, and workers Zach Snow, Tucker Brown, Nate Magill, Nathan Garcia, Alfredo Rodriguez and Martin Velasquez.
