<PAGE>
-------------------------------
/ OMB APPROVAL /
-------------------------------
/ OMB Number: 3235-0145 /
/ Expires: August 31, 1991/
/ Estimated average burden /
/ hours per response ... 14.90/
-------------------------------
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
Safety-Kleen Corp.
------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
786484105
-----------
(CUSIP Number)
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [X]. (A fee
is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7.)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
SEC 1745 (10-88)
<PAGE>
- ----------------------- ---------------------
CUSIP NO. 786484105 PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES
- ----------------------- ---------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
1 S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
ARIEL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. John W. Rogers, Jr.
IRS ID #36-3219058 SSN ####-##-####
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
2 (a) [_]
Not Applicable (b) [_]
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC USE ONLY
3
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
4
Illinois Corporation
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOLE VOTING POWER
5
NUMBER OF Ariel - 3,105,845 Rogers - 0
SHARES -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY 6
Ariel - 40,400 Rogers - 0
OWNED BY
-----------------------------------------------------------
EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
7
REPORTING Ariel - 3,337,245 Rogers - 0
PERSON -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 8
Ariel - 0 Rogers - 0
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
9
Ariel - 3,337,245 Rogers - 0
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10
Not Applicable
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
11
Ariel - 3,337,245/58,268,687 = 5.73% Rogers - 0%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
Ariel - IA Rogers - HC
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
* This report is being made on behalf of John W. Rogers, Jr., President and
principal shareholder of Ariel Capital Management, Inc., who may be deemed to
have beneficial ownership of the securities of the issuer. Mr. Rogers disclaims
beneficial ownership of shares held by Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
<PAGE>
Date: 3/31/97
---------------------
Page 3 of 5
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
Safety-Kleen Corp.
-----------------
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
1000 North Randall Road, Elgin, Illinois 60123
----------------------------------------------
Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:
Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
------------------------------
Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office:
307 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601
--------------------------------------------------
Item 2(c) Citizenship:
an Illinois corporation
-----------------------
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock
------------
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
786 484 105
-----------
Item 3. This statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b)
and the person filing is an investment adviser registered under
section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Item 4. Ownership.
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned:
(See Page 2, No. 9)
-------------------
<PAGE>
Date: 3/31/97
---------------------
Page 4 of 5 pages
(b) Percent of Class:
(See Page 2, No. 11)
--------------------
(c) Number of shares as to which each person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote
(See Page 2, No. 5)
-------------------
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote
(See Page 2, No. 6)
-------------------
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of (See Page 2, No. 7)
-------------------
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of (See Page 2, No. 8)
-------------------
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
securities, check the following: [_]
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
All securities reported upon this Schedule are owned by
investment advisory clients of Ariel Capital Management, Inc., no
one of which to the knowledge of Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
owns more than 5% of the class.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
Company.
Not Applicable.
--------------
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
Not Applicable.
--------------
<PAGE>
Date: 3/31/97
-------------
Page 5 of 5
SIGNATURE
The undersigned hereby agree that this statement is being filed on behalf
of each of them and hereby certify, after reasonable inquiry and to the best of
their knowledge and belief, that the information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.
ARIEL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
By:
------------------------------------------
Eric T. McKissack
Co-Chief Investment Officer and
Senior Vice President
JOHN W. ROGERS, JR.*
--------------------
JOHN W. ROGERS, JR.
*By:
-----------------------------------------
Eric T. McKissack
DATED: April 10, 1997
--------------
* Eric T. McKissack signs this document on behalf of John W. Rogers, Jr.
pursuant to the power of attorney attached as Exhibit 1 to the Schedule 13G
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about January 10, 1994,
on behalf of Ariel Capital Management, Inc. and John W. Rogers, Jr. with respect
to Oshkosh B'Gosh, Incorporated, which said power of attorney is hereby
incorporated by reference.
