NEWS
RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2005
Contact: Dick Hanneman
703/549-4648
e-mail: dick@saltinstitute.org
Alexandria, VA…(Mar. 14)….The salt
industry recorded 22% fewer lost time worker injuries in last year, according to final
2004 safety statistics released today by the industry’s trade association, the Salt
Institute. With more than 11.5 million
work-hours recorded last year in the salt industry, there were 29 lost-time injuries. In 2003, when a heavy winter boosted work-hours by
300,000, there were 37 injuries.
The industry’s largest salt refineries and
mines were the safest places to work, with injury frequency rates one-third less than
smaller facilities and warehouses.
The industry promotes safety by plant-level
safety initiatives designed to reduce both the incidence and severity of injury accidents. In 2004, among large salt companies, Chicago-based
Morton Salt achieved the best record in low injury incidence while Sifto Salt,
headquartered near Toronto, Canada had the best record avoiding serious injuries. Among smaller salt companies, United Salt of
Houston had the best incidence record and Lyons Salt, Lyons, KS, had the lowest severity
safety index.
Individual facilities leading the industry in low
injury incidence were Morton Salt’s Manistee, MI salt evaporation plant (large
processing), Cargill Salt’s Akron, OH evaporation plant (small processing), and
Morton Salt’s Weeks Island, LA mine. In
severity ratings, Morton’s Rittman, OH salt refinery led the way among large
processing plants, Cargill’s Watkins Glen, NY, was the leader in smaller plants and
the Sifto mine in Goderich, Ontario had the best record among mines. Cargill Salt’s terminals and warehouses
compiled the industry’s best record for both incidence and severity.
“We are proud of the salt industry’s
strong effort – and significant progress – in reducing worker injuries,”
explained Salt Institute president Richard L. Hanneman.
“Our goal is that each and every worker returns home safety every day.”
-- 30 --
      |
| [About Salt Institute] [About salt] [About the salt industry] [News] [SI Member Business (password required] [E-Mail Salt Institute] |