NASHVILLE, TN-- The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) division of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) has recognized DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, Inc. (DMTN), located in Maryville, with its Volunteer Safety Through Accountability and Recognition (STAR) Award.

The Volunteer STAR Award is the state's highest honor for workplace safety and health and is a nationally recognized program patterned after the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). By receiving the award, DMTN is considered a Volunteer STAR site.

"We set the bar very high for this award and DENSO rose to the challenge and not only met but exceeded TOSHA's high standards for workplace safety in Tennessee," said TDLWD Deputy Commissioner, Dewayne Scott. "It takes a tremendous amount of effort and determination from everyone at the facility to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace at this level."

Scott traveled to Maryville on March 25, 2025, to present the Volunteer STAR Award to DENSO managers and teammates.

"Safety is our top priority, whether in the workplace or our products," said Chuntao Ye, president of DMTN and leader of DENSO's Peace of Mind Business Group. "We thank Deputy Commissioner Scott and TOSHA for this prestigious recognition and appreciate their continued partnership in enhancing employee safety. We're also grateful for our dedicated team members, who are the reason we earned this honor, a difficult achievement given our location's size and complex operations. They will continue to lead us into a new era of smarter, safer mobility."

Team members at the DENSO site manufacture a range of products that are shaping the future of mobility in society, including advanced electrification and safety solutions. This is the first time TOSHA has honored DMTN with the Volunteer STAR award. Previously, TOSHA has also awarded DENSO Manufacturing Athens Tennessee, Inc. (DMAT), with the distinction.

There are currently 35 Volunteer STAR sites in Tennessee. The company receives a glass award to display, along with a Volunteer STAR flag to fly at its facility. The company also has the option of using the Volunteer STAR logo on its correspondences and documents.

The standard for participation in the STAR program confirms a company's safety and health program helps reduce accidents and injuries. As part of the program, TOSHA removes employers from programmed compliance inspection lists for three years.