MARCH 9, 2005 –  IMCO Recycling Inc.’s Coldwater North Plant, a subsidiary of Aleris International, Inc., has become the second facility in the state to receive the prestigious SHARP Award for an exemplary safety and health management system.  The company’s South Plant received the award on August 11, 2003.

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) established the Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Award to recognize employers that have achieved safety and health excellence far beyond their peers.   The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).

MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski presented the SHARP Award to the North Plant management team:  Coldwater Maintenance Manager Steve Lucas, Production Manager Bill Jackson, Quality Systems Manager Mike Fugate, Shipping and Receiving Manager Patty Quezada, and Scrap Processing Manager Mike Parker, who accepted the award on behalf of all 120 Coldwater North Plant workers.  MIOSHA representatives congratulated employees and management on their outstanding achievement.

“I am honored to present the second Michigan SHARP Award to the IMCO Coldwater North Plant–particularly since the South Plant received our first SHARP Award,” said Kalinowski.  “Your outstanding achievement of dramatically lower injury and illness rates than similar high-hazard workplaces–is a testament to corporate commitment, management dedication and employee involvement.”

The Michigan SHARP Program targets small, high-hazard employers–to help them develop, implement and continuously improve the effectiveness of their workplace safety and health management system.  SHARP provides an incentive for employers to emphasize accident and illness prevention by anticipating problems, rather than simply reacting to them.

“We are very proud of this achievement, which recognizes our commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment to everyone working at this site,” said Gary Barnett, Michigan Operations Manager.  “It is the result of teamwork between all parties, which has dramatically reduced our injuries and made this plant a safer workplace.”

The MIOSHA Onsite Consultation Program within the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division operates the Michigan SHARP Program.  Onsite consultants work with employers to help them become self-sufficient in managing occupational safety and health.  SHARP worksites earn an exemption from “programmed” MIOSHA inspections on a yearly basis.

IMCO management believes that sound environmental, health and safety practices lead to excellent product quality, an efficient workforce and continuity of operations.  The MIOSHA evaluation team found significant management commitment to carry out the safety goals formalized in the corporate mission statement.

The North Plant’s Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code is 3341 - Secondary Smelting and Refining of Nonferrous Metals, which is classified as a high-hazard industry.  The plant’s incidence rates are well below the national average for their SIC code.  The Total Case Incidence Rate for the North Plant was 7.6 in 2002 and 4.7 in 2003-compared to 13.5 and 11.9, respectively, for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) industry average.  The Total Days Away/Restricted Cases for the North Plant was 0.69 in 2002 and 3.4 in 2003-compared to 7.4 and 4.5, respectively, for the BLS industry average.

As part of their safety and health management system the North Plant has conducted a Job Safety Analyses (JSA) for each process used in the plant.  They have developed safe procedures for every operation and provided safety training for all procedures.  They have also conducted a personal protective equipment hazard assessment for the plant to make sure workers are appropriately protected.

Over the past several years, employee involvement has become an integral component of their safety and health program.  CET consultants have worked with the company to enhance the functions of their safety committee, so that it is accessible to all employees and provides a mechanism for employees to raise safety concerns, and to have them addressed.

Self-inspections are also a vital component in the North Plant’s safety and health management system.  The North Plant Safety Committee performs monthly inspections to make sure each job function is being conducted safely.  Along with the self-inspections, the company has also had CET consultants and private consultants perform safety inspections.

The IMCO Coldwater North Plant recycles more than 200 million pounds of aluminum scrap annually.  On a daily basis, their workers handle several hundred thousand pounds of molten aluminum, reaching over 1400° F.  The plant is also a registered TS16949 (the new Automotive Industry Quality Standard) and ISO14001 (the International Environmental Management System Standard) facility.

Principal customers of the IMCO aluminum operations include major aluminum companies, as well as automobile manufacturers and their suppliers. These customers use most of the metal recycled by the company to manufacture products for transportation, packaging, and construction–the three largest aluminum markets.

Aleris International, Inc. is one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum and zinc and one of the leading US manufacturers of aluminum sheet. The company has 29 production locations in the US, Latin America and Europe and employs approximately 3,200 employees. For more information about the company, please visit our web site at www.aleris.com.

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