CALVERT CITY, Ky. (June 5, 2018) – Labor Cabinet Acting Secretary Mike Nemes visited Sekisui Specialty Chemicals in Calvert City today to present a Governor’s Safety and Health Award for the 1,755,643 production hours worked without a lost-time incident by employees.
“Today marks the eighth different Governor’s Safety and Health for Sekisui in the last nine years,” Nemes stated. “That is a remarkable feat and it is something that deserves to be celebrated. It is also obvious that there is a culture here that expects safety-conscious employees who take pride in working together to keep each other safe. For this reason, it is my honor to present you with number eight today, and I hope we are celebrating number nine this time next year. Congratulations to you and all of your success.”
Sekisui started in Pennsylvania in April 1963, when the Sekisui Plastics Corporation began operations, becoming the first Japanese manufacturer in North America. Since that time, it has grown to 10 individual companies, including Sekisui Specialty Chemicals which manufactures polyvinyl alcohol products found in adhesives, paper, building and construction, textiles, films, ceramics, coatings, packaging, and oilfield cementing.
“I am very proud of our focus on safety,” said Craig Mitchell, President of Sekisui Specialty Chemicals America. “We appreciate the Governor recognizing companies that put safety as a top priority.”
“People are the most important strength in our company and safety is and always will be the most important part of our job,” EHS and Operations Director Charlie O’Rear stated.
“Kentucky applauds companies like Sekisui Specialty Chemicals that so value their workforce,” State Sen. Danny Carroll of Paducah said. “This organization and its leaders have taken every measure to ensure the safety and well-being of each individual employee. I congratulate them on this much-deserved award and look forward to the company’s future successes in Calvert City and beyond.”
“This award speaks volumes about Sekisui Specialty Chemicals’ commitment to safety, so I want to thank everyone at the company responsible for this landmark achievement,” said State Rep. Will Coursey, of Benton. “I also appreciate the Labor Cabinet’s recognition of those workplaces where safety is such a priority. Every employee deserves the kind of environment that companies like Sekisui provide.”
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet presents the Governor’s Safety and Health Award to highlight outstanding safety and health performance in Kentucky’s workplaces. A business may qualify for the award if its employees achieve a required number of hours worked without experiencing a lost-time injury or illness. The required number of hours is dependent upon the number of employees.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kentucky employers reported the lowest incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the state’s history.
Based on a mathematical calculation that describes the number of recordable incidents per 100 full-time employees, Kentucky’s rate improved from 3.7 in 2015 to 3.4 in 2016, reflecting the latest available data. This rate has steadily declined since it was first calculated in 1996, when a rate of 8.4 was reported.
For more information on the Governor’s Safety and Health Award, click here.
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