MSHA Partnership

The PCA Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Committee continues to build partnerships with the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).  This cooperation exists at each level of MSHA.  PCA and MSHA headquarters staff have initiated the Partnership for More Effective Inspections, which is aimed at making the plant inspection process a constructive and positive exercise with the emphasis on cooperation and enhancing safety. 

PCA also works with the MSHA district staff on a number of initiatives.  The bulk of the benefits from the Partnership for More Effective Inspections will be seen at the district level.  In addition, the OHS Committee coordinates a series of meetings with each of the District Managers to discuss an array of issues.  In addition, PCA collaborates with MSHA Districts to conduct workshops and training sessions.   Recent examples include a coal mill safety course in Georgia and a noise and dust workshop in Utah.

Finally, PCA works with the MSHA Field Office staff to ensure that the initiatives begun and the headquarters and district levels are carried out.  The OHS Committee also urges members to host Spring Thaw workshops that MSHA holds in each Field Office area.  These workshops—which include all MSHA-regulated sectors—focus on safety issues that are particularly relevant as facilities gear back up after winter shutdowns.

Safety Information Advisories

The OHS Committee regularly creates safety information advisories to alert members to safe practices in areas that pose potential risks.  The existing advisories cover the following areas:  contractor safety, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and railcar safety.  Each can be found on the members only portion of this website at: www.cement.org.

Safety Awards

PCA continued its long standing tradition of honoring cement facilities at the annual Spring Board Meeting, and the Safety Award Luncheon held in conjunction with the IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference in Chattanooga on Wednesday, April 28, 2004.  David M. Betts, Corporate Manager, Safety and Security, Holcim (US) Inc., and Chairman of the Occupational Heath and Safety Committee, presided over the ceremony, which presented 75 Safety Awards for no lost-time accidents, or improvement, in 8 categories.  In all, 61 facilities were recognized for their efforts.

Data is collected from a survey sent to all cement manufacturing facilities at the beginning of the year.  In addition to recognizing the industry’s safest plants, the information collected is used to determine the safety record for the industry as a whole, and to help individual plants compare their records with others.

According to the American Portland Cement Manufacturers’ Accident Prevention Bulletin of May 1916, the Association began collecting accident information from its member companies in 1912.  As early as 1916 there was concerning regarding accurate reporting.  At that time reportable accidents were defined as “any accident which may interrupt a man in the course of his duties”.  In order to reduce accidents, goals were set to have “No Accident Weeks”, then “No Accident Months”.  In the early 1960’s PCA sponsored the “Thousand-Day Club”, while today many facilities are able to go years with out a single lost-time accident.

One of the first precursors to the modern day Safety Monument and Plaque was the Lehigh Safety Trophy.  Starting in 1921, PCA decided to start a “No Accident Month Campaign”, and award a trophy for the first time to a plant having the best safety record from July 1 through December 31, 1921.  Two plants tied for the prize that first year, as neither has a “single time-lost accident”.  Names of the safety committee members were engraved on the trophy.  After that, the campaign was based on the best record for one full year.  Any plant winning the trophy twice was entitled to keep it.

The first “Safety Follows Wisdom” Trophy (or Monument) was awarded to the San Antonio Portland Cement Company in San Antonio, Texas during the Associations Spring Meeting in May 1924.  Prior to 1923, a competition was held to create the “Safety Follows Wisdom” design, and the winner was a small team of artists from the Art Institute in Chicago working under the guidance of well-known sculptor, Albin Polasek.  That same safety design is still used in the Safety Awards presented today.

View Portland Cement Association 2003 Safety Awards

Innovations in Safety Photo Contest

Started in 1997, the Innovations in Safety Photo Contest looks for the best photographs that depict safe practices in the cement industry.  The contest was designed with the following three goals: 1) honor innovative practices, programs, and projects throughout the industry; 2) communicate these ideas to others in the North American Cement Industry; and 3) raise the profile and importance of safety programs both inside and outside the industry.

Eight entries were chosen as winners from a total of 67 submitted for the 2003 contest.  These eight winning entries were also announced at the PCA Safety Award Luncheon on Wednesday, April 28, 2004.  In addition to announcing the winning entries at the luncheon, and winning a prize, Cement Americas magazine showcased the eight winning entry photographs along with text explaining what kind of safety innovation was used in each scenario in its May/June issue.

Since 1997, almost 300 entries have been received and are available for viewing in the Members Section of the PCA website www.cement.org.