ALEXANDRIA, MINN. — Packaging solutions company Douglas Machine Inc. has been recognized as one of “America’s Safest Companies for 2026” by EHS Today. Douglas is one of only eight companies to receive the honor for excellence in workplace safety.

“Safety is not just a policy — it is a mindset, a way of operating, and a reflection of how deeply we value the people who bring our company to life every day,” said Joe Salo, president of Douglas. “I’m proud of the commitment our employee owners make to working safely, looking out for one another and continually finding ways to make Douglas an even safer place to work.”

EHS Today’s “America’s Safest Companies” award has been recognizing companies for their safety programs since its inception in 2002. The program honors organizations that strive to prevent safety incidents through employee engagement and ongoing safety improvements throughout their operations.

To be considered for America’s Safest Companies, “organizations must demonstrate excellence across a comprehensive range of safety practices, including leadership support for EHS efforts, employee involvement, innovative approaches to safety challenges, comprehensive training, effective safety communication and injury and illness rates below industry averages,” according to EHS Today.

Douglas employees are encouraged to participate in creating a safer workplace. The company has more than 20 safety teams across the organization, which includes around 18% of the company’s workforce. The safety teams help identify safety hazards and establish goals aimed at advancing company-wide safety initiatives. Employees also have access to an extensive library of safety training through Douglas University, along with hands-on instruction in areas such as lockout/tagout, machine guarding and electrical safety.

“Being proactive is at the heart of our approach to safety,” said Craig Mast, director of Environmental Health and Safety at Douglas. “We don’t want to wait for something to happen before we make an improvement. Our employee owners are empowered to identify hazards, bring forward ideas and take an active role in making Douglas safer. That level of engagement is what makes our safety culture successful.”

Other companies recognized on this year’s “America’s Safest Companies” list are AFL Telecommunications; Cushman & Wakefield — Global Occupier Services; Enerfab Power & Industrial; Forest Electric NJ; Greenfield Global USA; Rummel Construction; and West Wind Reinforcing.

In addition to this honor, Douglas also achieved Minnesota Star (MNSTAR) certification through Minnesota OSHA, which recognized the company for implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system that goes beyond basic compliance.

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