Salt industry sets all-time safety record in 2005

Alexandria, VA…(March 14)… 2005 was the safest year in the history of the U.S. salt industry according to the industry’s trade association, the Salt Institute. Salt workers lost 480 total days due to injury of the more than 11 million hours worked, a 65% reduction from the previous record of 1,361 days lost to injury set in 1996. The industry suffered 22 lost time injuries last year, seven fewer than in 2004 -- an improvement of 24.14%.

This dramatic improvement stands in stark contrast with recent mine safety failures that have federal mine safety officials scrambling to defend MSHA’s safety promotion efforts.

“The salt industry is blessed with workers and management who take seriously their obligation to follow safety rules so every employee goes home safely every night,” explained Salt Institute president Richard L. Hanneman. “The cliché is true: ‘safety is no accident.’”

Overall, three companies won top honors for their corporate safety records. Among large salt companies, Morton Salt (Chicago, IL) had the best safety record regarding incidence of injuries and Sifto Salt (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) had the industry's best record regarding injury severity. Among smaller salt companies, Lyons Salt (Lyons, KS) had the best record in both categories.

Individual facilities were recognized as well. Best incidence records were achieved by Cargill Salt's St. Clair, MI evaporated salt plant, Morton Salt's Fairport, OH mine and North American Salt (Compass Minerals) Ogden, UT solar saltworks. Regarding severity, the industry standard was set by Morton Salt's Rittman, OH salt refinery (owner of the industry's historic best safety record: 6 million consecutive safe work-hours), Sifto Salt's Goderich, Ontario mine and Cargill Salt's Akron, OH salt refinery. Morton Salt was honored for its industry-best terminals and warehouses.

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