McWane - M&H Valve Machine Shop surpasses four-year, recordable-free milestone

M&H Valve Machine Shop surpasses four-year, recordable-free milestone

Earlier this month, the Machine Shop department at M&H Valve reached an incredible milestone—four years without a single recordable safety incident. This is a tremendous feat, but one that Anniston Operations Manufacturing Manager Cecil Payne said he attributes to all team members embracing an ownership culture, strong leadership engagement and the emphasis placed upon The McWane Way. 

According to Payne, the ownership culture at M&H is made possible by leadership, starting at the General Manager level. The culture is further embraced by managers, supervisors and beyond. This allows the entire team to live up to the potential that everyone wants and deserves.

"When team members feel respected, supported and empowered, they will speak up, follow safety protocols and look out for one another. This creates a culture rooted in accountability and mutual respect, where safety and ensuring everyone goes home safely is a shared responsibility—not just a priority, but a core expectation. Simply put, the team refuses to accept anything less than full commitment to safety excellence," added Payne.

The Machine Shop fosters this environment with engagement and collaboration at all levels. Most importantly, frontline team members, who are closest to the work, play a critical role as trusted advisors in preventing accidents. Support from the facility's outstanding Safety department makes sure individuals know their work is meaningful and recognized.

The McWane Way has only served to fortify the ongoing efforts at M&H. Among the principles Payne feels have been most impactful to the team's success are:

• Excellence – achievable only if a person first feels valued

• Safety – cultivating a culture where every team member is expected to say something when it's not safe

• Leadership – true leaders value others

The M&H Machine Shop has worked tirelessly to develop a mindset among its team members, demonstrating that high-performing environmental, health, and safety standards and top-tier production are not mutually exclusive; they go hand in hand. Our success isn’t accidental—it’s intentional. It is built on trust, communication and a commitment to doing things the right way, every time.”

Source: McWane Newsletter - October 2025