On May 2, Portland Cement Association recognized cement facilities with outstanding safety records at its annual Safety Award Luncheon in conjunction with the 49th IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference in North Charleston, S.C.

In all, 62 facilities received awards or recognition for their records in calendar year 2006. Frances Petty, chair of the PCA Occupational Health and Safety Committee, and Scott Foster, vice chair of the Logistic Committee, presented the awards. The ceremony honored 46 facilities that operated without a lost-time accident in three categories of awards — 1 year, 2-4 years, and 5 years or more — while 16 facilities received an award for 1 million or more hours of operation without a lost-time accident.

In addition to the awards recognizing safety at cement plants, PCA also presented the first annual Terminal Safety Awards at the luncheon. Eight terminals received plaques for 40 or more years without a lost-time accident. Additionally, 110 terminals that operated without a lost-time accident in one of three categories — 30 to 39 years, 20-29 years, 10 to 19 years — were recognized.

PCA also presented seven facilities with the 2006 PCA Safety Innovation Awards at the award luncheon. The Innovation in Safety Awards honor innovative safety practices, programs and projects; communicate these ideas to members of the cement industry; and raise the profile and importance of safety programs both within and outside of the industry. Winners were featured in the March/April 2007 issue of Cement Americas magazine, which co-sponsored the awards.

Members of PCA's Occupational Health and Safety Committee, Board of Directors, and a representative of Mines Safety and Health Administration judged 56 entries this year.

The 2006 winners were:

• Ash Grove Cement Co. — Durkee, Ore.
• Lehigh Cement Co. — Mitchell, Ind.
• Buzzi Unicem USA Inc. — Pryor, Okla.
• The Monarch Cement Co. — Humboldt, Kan.
• GCC of America, Inc. — Rapid City, S.D.
• Buzzi Unicem USA Inc. — Greencastle, Ind.
• Ash Grove Cement Co. — Inkom, Idaho