Lake Charles Plant Completes Five Injury-Free Years

GGC Compound Facilities, U.S. Chemicals Plants Surpass One Year without a Recordable Injury

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Across the U.S. chemicals industry, a total recordable injury rate (TRIR) of 2.3 is the average. Thanks to the efforts of Georgia Gulf chemicals employees, the industry’s TRIR should improve in 2011.

“To have zero incidents is our goal, but the fact remains that a TRIR of zero is incredibly difficult to achieve. The efforts of our U.S. chemicals and North American compound employees to go more than a year is truly remarkable”

In late August, Georgia Gulf’s Gallman plant in Mississippi and its Plaquemine plant in Louisiana completed 365 consecutive days since their last recordable injuries, meaning that all of the company’s U.S. chemicals plants and its North American compound facilities have gone more than one year without a recordable injury. In Canada, the company’s Royal Plastics plant in Ontario has completed nearly 28 months without a recordable injury.

Role Models in Chemical Plant Safety
GGC Chemicals	Plant Last Recordable
Lake Charles, LA	August 2006
Pasadena, TX	December 2007
Prairie, MS	August 2008
Madison, MS	March 2009
Royal Plastics, ON	April 2009
Aberdeen, MS	July 2010
Plaquemine, LA	August 2010
Gallman, MS	August 2010

Leading the way in Georgia Gulf’s quest for zero incidents is the Lake Charles plant in Louisiana, which completed five years without a recordable injury on August 4.

“To have zero incidents is our goal, but the fact remains that a TRIR of zero is incredibly difficult to achieve. The efforts of our U.S. chemicals and North American compound employees to go more than a year is truly remarkable,” said Paul Carrico, president and chief executive officer. “I am as proud of this achievement as anything that we have accomplished at Georgia Gulf.”

“This is a great achievement, and each employee here deserves credit,” said Ben Drone, plant manager at Georgia Gulf’s vinyl chloride monomer production facility in Lake Charles. “Five years without a recordable is a reflection of the safety processes that we have in place, our Emergency Response Team and our Safe Workforce Action Team. This achievement is the result of every employee constantly watching out for themselves and their co-workers and having respect for the chemicals and equipment they use every day.”

“These safety milestones across the chemicals division are indicative of the passion and quality of the people in our facilities – and that is being led by the employees at our Lake Charles plant and through the Safety Involvement Teams that are in place,” said Charlie Freeburgh, vice president of environmental, health and safety.

About Georgia Gulf

Georgia Gulf Corporation is a leading integrated North American manufacturer of two chemical lines, chlorovinyls and aromatics, and manufactures vinyl-based building and home improvement products. The company's vinyl-based building and home improvement products, marketed under Royal Group and Exterior Portfolio brands, include window and door profiles, mouldings, siding, pipe and pipe fittings, and deck, fence and rail products. Georgia Gulf, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., has manufacturing facilities located throughout North America to provide industry-leading service to customers. For more information, visit www.ggc.com.