California Portland Cement Co.'s 108-year old Colton, Calif. plant sustained no lost-time injuries in 1999. The plant has received the Portland Cement Association's Safety Award for consecutive days without a lost-time injury 14 times since 1944. The company's longest streak without a lost-time work injury was the five-year period between 1964 and 1968.

The Colton facility, which processed 1.8 million mt of raw materials into more than 1 million mt of cement last year, uses a variety of methods for emphasizing the importance of safety. The average length of service is 22 years for the 130 full-time employees. "Employees know their jobs well and they are aware of potential dangers, so they approach each shift with constant safety awareness," said Brent Loomis, human resources manager.

The plant also provides eight hours of safety training per year. "Like everything else, a safe workplace requires proper training and proper practice. That's why we make sure all of our employees know the right way to use all of our equipment," Loomis said.

The plant also has a safety committee that ensures that the plant is in good working condition and that all safety procedures are followed. Each department also conducts its own monthly training.

Colton rewards safety by granting an award for each 100 days of work without a lost-time accident. Successive 100-day increments result in awards of higher value. In addition, the safety committee was given $5,000 for the 365 consecutive days of no lost-time accidents, and employees' were granted an additional paid holiday.