INVISTA, OSHA Form Strategic Partnership

2008-06-19 23:52:07 -

www.invista.com - INVISTA Public Affairs Jodie Stutzman, 316-828-1786 Jodie.Stutzman@INVISTA.com www.INVISTA.com INVISTA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) signed an agreement today at a ceremony held at INVISTA's Victoria, Texas, manufacturing site to collaborate, share knowledge and further strengthen the safety and health management systems at seven INVISTA sites in the United States.

INVISTA and OSHA will, among other things, use their collective expertise to expand and implement robust safety and health management systems at the seven participating worksites. Knowledge and best practices will be shared and studied to help prevent and further reduce injuries and illnesses, including those related to ergonomics, by building on the INVISTA Environmental, Health and Safety Management System and by developing recommendations for management practices addressing ergonomic hazards.

INVISTA's system, which emphasizes management commitment and employee involvement, is consistent with the principles of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). As a result of the new partnership, it is anticipated that INVISTA sites will enhance their participation in VPP as well as the Special Government Employees (SGE) program.

The strategic partnership agreement was signed during the INVISTA Victoria site's VPP "star" designation celebration event. "Star" is the highest designation for safety systems and performance recognized in OSHA's VPP. More than 400 INVISTA employees and government officials attended the ceremony.

OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Donald G. Shalhoub participated in the ceremony and executed the partnership agreement on behalf of OSHA. "INVISTA has demonstrated excellence in effective safety and health management," said Shalhoub. "They are to be commended for their outstanding efforts in maintaining a three-year injury and illness rate 77 percent below the national average for their industry."

The seven INVISTA sites participating in the OSHA strategic partnership include the INVISTA manufacturing facilities in Seaford, Del.; Athens and Dalton, Ga.; and La Porte, Orange and Victoria, Texas; as well as the INVISTA Applied Research Centre in Newark, Del.

"This agreement represents a true public and private sector partnership and marks another step forward in our culture of compliance and value creation," said Jeff Gentry, INVISTA's chief executive officer. "We are confident that the partnership will not only be of value to INVISTA, but we are also hopeful that the knowledge gained will be of value to other industries, as well."

The partnership will be managed by a team of four INVISTA managers and three OSHA national and field office representatives. The team will determine procedures, meet regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership, and track and analyze information on partnership activities and results.

OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program is part of U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao's ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of employees through cooperative relationships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and employees. More than 1.4 million employees and more than 26,000 employers across the U.S. have participated with OSHA in 534 strategic partnerships since the program began in 1998.

INVISTA's Applied Research Centre in Newark, Del., offers integrated Research and Development support for INVISTA's Apparel, Intermediates, and Performance Surfaces and Materials businesses. Dedicated in 2006, the 60,000-square-foot facility houses advanced textile technology, state-of-the-art chemistry labs and other research capabilities that support process and product development, catalysis and reaction engineering fundamentals and fiber, fabric and garment innovations. Innovation is critical to INVISTA's future success, and the INVISTA Applied Research Centre is key to fostering innovation for our businesses.

INVISTA's Athens, Ga., site began operations in 1973. The site is a yarn processor that serves the beaming segment of INVISTA's Apparel business and the flooring segment of INVISTA's Performance Surfaces and Materials (PSM) business.

Started in 1969 to provide dye, and tech support to the carpet industry, INVISTA's Dalton, Ga., site evolved in the 1980s to become the certification center for all new introductions of carpet bearing the STAINMASTER(R) brand, as well as for ANTRON(R) carpet. Located near Dalton, Ga., the site supports the marketing and R&D capabilities for INVISTA's Performance Surfaces & Materials business.

Originally built in 1969, INVISTA's La Porte, Texas, site is the world's largest producer of tetrahydrofuran, or THF, a raw material used in the manufacture of INVISTA's TERATHANE(R) brand that is also manufactured at the site. TERATHANE(R) PTMEG is a key ingredient to INVISTA Apparel's powerful global brand of LYCRA(R) fiber.

INVISTA's Orange and Victoria, Texas, sites are key assets of the INVISTA Intermediates business. Both sites, which began manufacturing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, manufacture the nylon 6,6 intermediate chemicals of adiponitrile (ADN), hexamethylenediamine (HMD), and adipic acid that are used in the manufacture of INVISTA consumer brands STAINMASTER(R) carpet, ANTRON(R) carpet fiber and CORDURA(R) fabric, as well as a broad variety of other nylon fiber, resins and specialty products.

INVISTA's Seaford, Del., site, which was the world's first nylon plant when it was originally built in 1939, has evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of the marketplace throughout its seven decades of operation. The site produces bulked continuous filament nylon yarn for carpets marketed under INVISTA's STAINMASTER(R) and ANTRON(R) brands. It also produces staple fibers for tennis balls, pool table coverings, gaming felts and U.S. Army combat uniforms.

INVISTA is an integrated fibers and polymers business with a global presence. It operates four major businesses: Apparel; Intermediates; Performance Surfaces and Materials; and Polymer and Resins. INVISTA delivers exceptional value for its customers through market insights and technology innovations, along with a powerful portfolio of some of the most recognized global brands and trademarks in their respective industries including: ADI-PURE(R), ANTRON(R), AVORA(R) FR, INVISTA(R) C12, COMFOREL(R), COOLMAX(R), CORDURA(R), CORFREE(R), DACRON(R), INVISTA(R) DBE, DYTEK(R), ESP(R), FRESHFLEX(TM), CORDURA(R) NYCO, LYCRA(R), PERFORMA(R), POLARGUARD(R), POLYSHIELD(R), POLYCLEAR(R), SOLARMAX(R), STAINMASTER(R), SUPPLEX(R), SUPRIVA(TM), TACTEL(R), TACTESSE(R), TERATE(R), TERATHANE(R) and THERMOLITE(R). More information on INVISTA can be found at www.INVISTA.com.

Collaboration and Research to Strengthen Safety and Health
Management Systems at INVISTA Sites in Delaware, Georgia, and Texas