ACE Auto Body wins national award

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
ACE Auto Body of Hartselle was recently recognized as Alabama’s first auto collision repair business to receive a national Safety Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Award.
The program is administered by Safe State, a continuing education arm of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
To commemorate the achievement ACE owners Myron and Freda Thompson received an engraved plaque from the U. S. Department of Labor, presented by Safe State Director Bill Weems. The Thompsons also received letters of congratulations from the Safe State president and the regional safety administrator for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a shop banner, a flag and a signed University of Alabama football.
They also qualified for a two-year OSHA inspection exemption.
In presenting the awards, Weems complimented the Thompsons for achieving and maintaining a level of safety in their shop that is rarely met by other businesses in the auto collision repair field.
He said only 23 other businesses in the state have received the SHARP award since it was implemented in 1977.
Weems said the Thompsons contacted Safe State about two years ago and signed on as participants in its safety and health program.
A reception was held as a part of the awards ceremony. Among those attending were Safe State representatives Matt Hollub, assistant director, Steven Weems, health supervisor, and Phil Byars, State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Mayor Dwight Tankersley.