Key Points

• Marathon Petroleum’s Detroit refinery hosted its largest Safety and Health Day event, bringing together over 500 employees and contractors to explore the latest safety technologies, tools and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• The event featured innovations like virtual reality training, specialized robots and new PPE, with organizers encouraging active engagement to help everyone better understand workplace safety practices.
• Demonstrations and discussions emphasized the importance of understanding safety rules, having a continuous improvement mindset, and how new PPE and technology can help further safety on the job.

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Marathon Petroleum’s Detroit refinery hosted Safety and Health Day to bring together industry experts for employees and contractors. It’s one example of how Marathon is driving innovation and engagement in workplace safety across the company.

The annual event allows the refinery’s workforce and business partners to connect and learn about the newest technology, innovations and best practices to keep everyone safe at work.

“From virtual reality training to specialized robots, we were able to showcase the latest products and ideas that are on the market,” said Detroit refinery Personal Safety Professional Josh Smith, who helped coordinate the event.

Organizers encouraged each of the 35 booth attendees to provide a demonstration to spur engagement and conversation about safety, health and wellness. Vendors brought new power tools, robots with X-ray technology, and the latest models of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and flame-resistant clothing. They talked about new features, product improvements, reasons behind the designs, and how the products can help make daily work safer.

“It’s so important to understand the rules and regulations that are there to keep us safe,” said Cameron Koepp, Personal Safety Professional at the Detroit refinery and event organizer. “We want the demonstrations performed during this event to help people understand how the PPE they use works, as well as show them different tools and new technology. That gets people really invested in safety and provides them with ways to continuously improve.”

More than 500 people at the refinery came through the tent, making it the biggest Safety and Health Day event for the facility.

“Safety and Health Day reminds us that innovation and safety go hand in hand,” said Frank Rydquist, Refining Engineer III. “It’s a powerful way to strengthen our shared commitment to keeping Marathon a safe place to work. I’m proud to be part of a team that makes safety more than a policy – it’s a core value.”

As employees reflected on the significance of ongoing improvements and the company's dedication to safety, their experiences underscored how Marathon’s commitment impacts individuals on every level.

“As a new employee, Safety and Health Day is a reminder that when it comes to safety the little things matter,” said Gino Santillo, Environmental Engineer. “Seeing mitigative technologies evolve year after year reminds me that even though incidents don't happen every day, small incremental improvements make all the difference.”

Organizers plan to continue building on the interest generated by bringing select vendors for deeper discussions during lunch-and-learn events.

“We get a lot of feedback from our operators about the different equipment needed for different tasks,” said Smith. “Now the suppliers can hear it from the users and develop new products that fit more of the tasks. Bridge the gap and make their job duties safer.”