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Douglas Machine Inc. has earned Minnesota Star (MNSTAR) certification from the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA), recognizing the company’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for its employee owners.
MNSTAR is a voluntary recognition program for Minnesota companies that have developed comprehensive safety and health management systems that go beyond basic compliance with applicable OSHA standards. The program emphasizes leadership and employee involvement, resources dedicated to workplace safety, systems for identifying and controlling hazards, and ongoing employee safety training and education.
Earning MNSTAR certification reflects Douglas’ longstanding belief that safety is more than a program or set of procedures—it is a shared responsibility and an essential part of the company’s culture.
“Achieving MNSTAR certification is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the commitment our employee owners demonstrate every day,” said Craig Mast, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Douglas. “Safety requires all of us to be engaged - looking out for one another, identifying opportunities for improvement and speaking up when something can be done better.”
Douglas’ approach to safety includes regular employee-owner training, active participation from many employees on various safety teams, ongoing identification and correction of workplace hazards, and Continuous Innovation & Improvement initiatives focused specifically on safety. The company’s goal is not simply to meet safety requirements, but to continually improve its practices and work toward an incident- and injury-free workplace.
“Safety is fundamental to how we enrich lives at Douglas,” said Joe Salo, President of Douglas. “Our employee owners are our greatest asset, and we want every person who comes to work here to return home as healthy as they arrived. MNSTAR certification is an important validation of the culture our people have built together, and it challenges us to continue raising the bar.”
Douglas has received numerous workplace safety honors over the years, including multiple Governor’s Safety Awards. The company received the Governor’s Safety Award at the Gold level in 2025.
MNSTAR is modeled after the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Participating worksites are recognized for implementing effective safety and health management systems through collaboration between management and employees.
