Environment Department Recognizes Southwest Wineries
for Safety Excellence

Santa Fe – The New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) presented Deming, New Mexico’s Southwest Wineries with the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award for exemplary injury and illness prevention. Southwest Wineries becomes one of nine recognized SHARP participants in New Mexico.

On March 10 a ceremony recognizing the company’s accomplishments was held at the Southwest Wineries site in Deming.  Representatives from OHSB presented the company with the award.

“Southwest Wineries is proud to become a SHARP company,” said Southwest plant manager Macaryo Argott.

The On-Site Consultation’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) recognizes business employers who operate an exemplary injury and illness prevention program. Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn said, “All New Mexico employers with 250 or fewer workers are eligible for free and confidential on-site consultation to help identify workplace hazards and find effective and economical solutions for eliminating or controlling them. The service is cost-free and confidential, and there are no fines even if problems are discovered during the Environment Department consultant’s visit to the site.”   

Vital elements of the SHARP program include management leadership and commitment to a safe working environment; employee involvement in implementing the health and safety program; worksite hazard analysis; prevention and control programs and comprehensive safety and health training. Acceptance of a worksite into SHARP from New Mexico OHSB is an achievement that singles companies out among their business peers as a model for worksite safety and health. Upon receiving SHARP recognition, New Mexico OHSB exempts the worksite from programmed enforcement inspections during the period that the SHARP certification is valid.

Robert Genoway, OHSB Bureau Chief said, “It’s been a pleasure to work with Southwest Wineries on achieving their SHARP Certification. They have worked hard to make a safe and healthy work environment for their employees and they deserve this recognition.”

This facility is the first within their industry to receive the NM SHARP award for exemplary illness and injury prevention. Southwest Wineries employs approximately 74 workers and was established in year 1984. The management team comprises president, Florent Lescombes, chief financial officer Brandon Young, and plant manager Macaryo Argott with assistance from quality control manager Ziedney Valenzona and safety coordinator Robin Lee.

For more information about New Mexico On-Site Consultation or the SHARP Program, please contact Lisa Spahr, New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau, On-site Consultation Program Manager at 505-222-9505 or lisa.spahr@state.nm.us .

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Exemplary injury & illness prevention-Southwest Wineries earns NM Env. Dept.’s SHARP award.

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The New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) presented Deming, New Mexico’s Southwest Wineries with the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award for exemplary injury and illness prevention. Southwest Wineries becomes one of nine recognized SHARP participants in New Mexico on March 10. “Southwest Wineries is proud to become a SHARP company,” said Southwest plant manager Macaryo Argott. 

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