Nutrien’s Aurora team celebrates award for 25-year commitment to safety

Nutrien is one of the platinum sponsors of the annual Carolina Star Safety Conference, and this year, the team at our Aurora Phosphate facility received the 25-year Carolina Star Program award for its commitment to safety, leadership and employee engagement.

“A 25-year recognition is a significant moment. We are celebrating not just the years, but the impact that our safety culture has had along the way,” says Kelle Beatty, Manager, Safety & Health. “This acknowledgement helps to validate the team’s hard work and efforts. It takes everyone at the site to achieve a milestone like this and it feels good to see the results and be recognized for it.”

For more than two decades, the team has been working to foster a strong safety culture by maintaining a people-first approach, following safety processes and coordinating wellness initiatives.

The site recognizes its people for their safety accomplishments, big and small. For example, if an employee identifies a potential hazard and uses their stop work authority to determine a safe solution before proceeding, they are celebrated with a site-wide notification. Celebrating success is an important part of Nutrien’s Culture of Care, along with sharing best practices and lessons learned to help send everyone home safe, every day.

The site also demonstrates safety leadership within several of its processes. One such process involves the safety team leaders championing projects that will improve safety within different areas at the site. Many of these projects have gone on to win safety awards within Nutrien’s Nitrogen and Phosphate business unit.

The site’s wellness committee also plans and coordinates activities to help boost employee wellness and morale, such as walking challenges, races and camping trips, and the on-site clinic offers many health and wellness events throughout the year.

“I’m proud of the team for all the ways they prioritize and celebrate safety at the site,” says William Ponton, General Manager. “I’m honored that the Carolina Star Program has recognized our commitment to occupational safety and health over the years at Aurora, and I’m grateful to the team for their continued dedication to safety.”

Aurora employee spotlight: Major Morning Jr.

For more than 25 years, Major Morning Jr. has been working at the Aurora facility. When he first joined the company in 1996, he worked as a contractor in the mine area and one of his main tasks was operating heavy equipment including 40-ton haul trucks, dozers and excavators. Now, Major works as the site’s Production Supervisor for Liquid Shipping.

Major has seen lots of changes throughout his career at Aurora, particularly in terms of safety.

“Throughout the years, there’s been a strong focus on making safety the number one priority,” he explains. “Our leaders began to talk more about safety to engage the team and ask questions to reflect on our safety culture and determine how we can work together to make Nutrien one of the safest companies in the world.”

Major’s favorite part of his job is one of the Key Daily Actions outlined in the Nutrien Way – care and look out for each other.

“I care for everyone, so when I noticed that was one of the Key Daily Actions, I was excited,” he says. “It was like part of my job requirement became to care and look out for others, which gives me the opportunity to do what I like to do. No matter what position I’m in, at the end of the day my desire is for everyone to go home safe, every day, and it truly is a great feeling to know that I work for a company that has been in the Carolina Star Program for 25 years.”