June 18, 2004 – Louisiana-Pacific Corporation’s (LP) Newberry plant received the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) Star Award today from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for workplace safety and health excellence.

The Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) Star Award for exemplary safety and health programs is awarded by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).  The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).

"It is an honor to present LP’s Newberry plant with this prestigious award that recognizes the ‘best of the best’ companies in Michigan,” said DLEG Deputy Director Bob Swanson.  “You have created a work environment where everyone accepts responsibility for safety, every day.  We applaud your exemplary safety success."

DLEG Deputy Director Bob Swanson and MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowskipresented the MVPP Star Award to Newberry Plant Manager Kurt Chamberlain and members of the Safety and Health Committee.  Employees raised the VPP Star Flag during the ceremony.  State and local elected officials, corporate leaders and MIOSHA representatives were on hand to congratulate Newberry employees and management on their outstanding achievement.

“Our employees in Newberry exemplify LP’s commitment to providing a safe workplace.  Receiving Michigan’s prestigious VPP Star Award, which sets the bar for safety excellence, validates their outstanding efforts,” stated Brad Southern, LP vice president, Specialty Operations. “Their actions and achievements serve as a model for other LP facilities.  They’ve shown that a pervasive attitude toward working safely and focus on continuous improvement will bring positive results.  It’s exactly this type of commitment that will continue to enhance our performance in Newberry and across the company.”

The Newberry plant’s incidence rates and lost work day rates are well below the Michigan average for their SIC code 2493, Reconstituted Wood Products.  Their total case incidence rate was 4.78 in 2001, 2.89 in 2002, and 2.83 in 2003 - compared to 4.9 each of the three years for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) industry average.  The total lost work day cases for the plant was 1.59 in 2001, 1.45 in 2002, and 1.41 in 2003 - compared to 2.2 each year for the BLS industry average.

“I can’t express enough how proud I am of the employees of LP Newberry for what they have accomplished,” said Plant Manager Kurt Chamberlain.   “Safety is work.  Safety doesn’t just happen –– it’s made to happen by dedicated people who respect themselves and each other enough to do each job correctly and with an intent on being safe throughout each step of the process.  Being part of 126 employees working together toward a safe work environment is a very rewarding process.” 

The Newberry facility employs 126 workers and is considered a high-hazard operation.  The MIOSHA review team conducted 22 formal and six informal interviews during the site visit.  The team examined each of the required elements of Newberry’s safety and health management system, and found them to effectively address the scope and complexity of the hazards at the site.

“National VPP sites experience 60 to 80 percent fewer lost work day injuries than would be expected of an average site in their industry,” said MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski.  “Not only does the MVPP program significantly reduce injuries and illnesses, but it also has a tremendous impact on the bottom line.”

It was evident during the management interviews that employee safety and health are equal to or more important than production.  Management commitment is evidenced by:

·        Written accident prevention/safety and health program;

·        Dedicated safety staff and resources;

·        An active and empowered safety and health committee;

·        Comprehensive safety and health training;

·        A fully implemented accident investigation program;

·        Significant engineering and administrative controls to eliminate ergonomic hazards; and

·        Employee accountability for their safety and health performance.

Employee involvement is high at the Newberry facility and employees believe their safety and health is a top company priority.  Workers have many avenues to bring safety and health issues to management, including an open-door policy.  Employees are involved in the creation and annual updating of a job safety analysis (JSA) for all jobs in the plant.

The company conducts inspections in various areas of the plant each month to ensure the entire facility is covered every few months.  Managers and supervisors are required to complete an established number of proactive safety-related tasks each month.   Corporate safety and health professionals have developed a Compliance Index (CI) to help each LP facility stay focused on maintaining safety and health compliance.

The Newberry plant manufactures high-quality SmartSide™ siding products that provide beauty, performance and value to homeowners.  The Newberry plant joins three other LP facilities that have earned VPP status:  Houlton, Maine; Tomahawk, Wisconsin; and Two Harbors, Minnesota.

LP is a premier supplier of building materials, delivering innovative, high-quality commodity and specialty products to its retail, wholesale, homebuilding and industrial customers. Visit LP’s Web site at www.lpcorp.com for additional information on the company.

Read more Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth news releases.