People's feet running a race with pilons lining the route

Article

The Secret to Six Years Without a Lost-Time Incident

People & Culture

Magna Sterling Heights
February 02, 2026
2-min read

From Safety Bingo games to popular meetings with the GM dubbed “Huddle with Hector,” Magna’s Sterling Heights, Michigan, division is building a culture of safety and continuous improvement by focusing on people. The result: more than six years without a lost-time incident.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Patrick Topey, the division’s senior EHS coordinator. “There’s no other way to describe it for the type of work we do, which is stamping, machining and final assembly. The biggest lesson we’ve learned is making sure our workers are involved in helping us solve problems.”

The 149 employees at the division produced 10.5 million oil pans for internal combustion engines in 2024 for Ford, General Motors and other customers. Two years ago, a stronger bond between management and shop-floor employees was forged by introducing Gemba Walks. Gemba is a Japanese term meaning “real place.” Leadership here engages with employees daily by getting out of the office and onto the shop floor to identify opportunities for operational excellence together.

“The biggest lesson we’ve learned is making sure our workers are involved in helping us solve problems.”

“That’s how we gain ideas for continuous improvement and a lot of trust from the people on the floor,” said Mustafa Albaldawi, a manufacturing-process engineer who keeps an “appreciation list” for everything he accomplished or overcame that day.

Best Practice

Ergonomics is a key focus, one that aids in employee retention, safety and a smooth production process.

Recently, the division invested $26,000 to improve a workstation for greater efficiency, comfort and safety. At that station, operators load a five-pound part every five seconds onto a conveyor belt that feeds into a stamping press. To make it easier to reach, bend and pick up parts, the division installed custom adjustable-height tables that tilt and a longer conveyor belt.

“That investment is one of our best practices,” said Mustafa. “I tell other divisions to reserve funds in your budget for ergonomics to help with continuous improvement.”

General Manager Hector Gonzalez address employees.

President Diba Ilunga talks to employees during luncheon.

Morale Boosters

Celebrations are a huge part of the culture at Sterling Heights. When milestones are hit, such as another year with no lost-time, “we throw a big party with a catered lunch for both shifts,” said Topey. “We reward people for safe work.”

Birthdays are special, with employees invited for snacks and a meeting with GM Hector Castro during their birthday month. The “Huddle with Hector” is another opportunity to speak to the GM about any concerns in a more intimate setting than a monthly employee meeting.

Safety Bingo games are held daily in the cafeteria, with all hourly employees receiving a card and the division funding the jackpot. If there is a safety violation, incident or accident, the jackpot reverts to $25 but continues to grow game over game when there is no infraction.

People First

Conversations about continuous improvement with Mustafa and Topey constantly circle back to people. Whenever you focus on people, you usually end up with a better solution. That’s why my main focus is to always get feedback from them.”