Grace facility in New Jersey awarded OSHA Star status

The Edison, N.J., facility of W.R. Grace & Company has earned membership in the prestigious Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at the “Star”, or highest, level.

The Voluntary Protection Program is OSHA’s official recognition of exemplary occupational safety and health. Companies in the VPP achieve average injury rates 50 percent lower than other companies in their respective industries. The Edison facility’s total case incident rate and lost time rate are both 0.0. The facility has not had a lost-time injury in more than 25 years.

The assistant secretary of labor for OSHA approved VPP Star status for the site on February 26. The company officially received the award during a recent ceremony attended by OSHA Region 2 VPP manager Mike Levy, Grace president and chief executive officer Fred Festa, and plant manager David Bamford, among several others.

The facility is a manufacturing location for polyolefin catalysts and catalyst supports that are essential components in the manufacture of resins used for a wide variety of industrial and consumer plastic applications. It is the second Grace location to earn the VPP distinction, joining a manufacturing plant in Lake Charles, La., that secured VPP status in 2005.

“Our Edison colleagues have achieved an impressive safety record and we’re proud of their accomplishments,” said William Corcoran, VP of public and regulatory affairs with responsibility for Grace's health, safety and environmental programs. "The VPP membership was only possible due to our colleagues’ dedicated focus and a shared safety-first workplace."