High productivity, high quality, high morale, and associated low absenteeism are all products of a strong safety program. In the company's operational meetings, from the office of the chairman down through the daily reports from manufacturing plants, the first item of business is always safety performance. Behind DuPont's commitment to safety is a series of principles and beliefs:
* Management at every level is responsible for preventing injuries and illnesses.
* Safety must be a part of every employee's training.
* People are the most important element of a safety and health program.

William J. Mottel and Joseph F. Long are the authors of Industrial Safety is Good Business: The DuPont Story, published by Wiley.