What exactly is the CEO Safety Excellence Award? Well, we’re glad you asked!

The CEO Safety Excellence Award recognizes facilities that demonstrate a strong commitment to safety by identifying risks, eliminating injuries and implementing continuous improvement efforts. This is exactly how the team at Georgia-Pacific Chemical’s Beaver Creek facility in Michigan earned such an ambitious award.

Employees of Beaver Creek were recognized for going above and beyond safety standards. The team proved themselves worthy of this award through a myriad of evaluations and inspections—which included the facility going through a Critical Hazard Oversight review, demonstrating safety as a value and identifying key hazards.

But more importantly, it all started with their safety vision.

“Our safety vision development included an exercise where all employees were involved during a shutdown period to provide input and challenge. This led toward a meaningful statement that has shared ownership and buy-in,” said Beaver Creek Plant Manager Bob Morley.

The award evaluation process is based on exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety over the course of 24 consecutive months. Overall, this site has a solid strategy and program with engagement throughout the site.

“In the long run, what defines and impacts safety more than anything is culture,” said GP’s President and CEO Christian Fischer. “It’s clear that Beaver Creek has achieved a level of success by having a strong vision and using our Guiding Principles as the backbone for a safe facility – I’m very proud of this team.”

Beaver Creek is not new to proving high performance when it comes to safety. They recently celebrated working 15 years without a lost time or recordable injury and have received the CEO Safety Excellence Award in 2008, 2010 and 2013. They also acquired a Michigan Voluntary Protection Program Star Status in 2007 that requires revalidation every three years.

Fischer added, “Safe facilities like Beaver Creek are key to providing value and help us practice a philosophy of mutual benefit. Without safety we can’t be the preferred partner we need to be to our customers, employees, suppliers and even our communities.”

GP Chemical’s Beaver Creek Facility manufactures UF and PF thermosetting resins, which are used in finishes and adhesives, industrial resins, liquid fertilizers, formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde concentrate. The facility, with its resin plant built in 1986 and formaldehyde plant built in 1990, houses a group of 32 employees.

Congrats to GP Chemical’s Beaver Creek for this well-deserved recognition!