Evonik RohMax Pennsylvania Facility Earns Prestigious Safety Award

Evonik RohMax USA, Inc.’s regional headquarters and technical center in Horsham, Pennsylvania, has again earned the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) highest safety award.

In awarding the company OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Safety Through Accountability and Recognition (STAR) award, John M. Hermanson, OSHA regional administrator, praised RohMax’s continuing efforts at its Center of Excellence for automatic transmission fluids, specialty hydraulic fluids and wax crystal modifiers in Horsham.

“You have made quite an investment to increase safety awareness at your worksite,” said Hermanson. “I am pleased that the injury rates remain below the national industry average.”

STAR status is the highest VPP designation awarded by OSHA and indicates a facility has achieved injury and illness rates below its industry national average and has demonstrated to OSHA that its safety and health management systems are exemplary. RohMax first received the VPP STAR recognition three years ago.

Thomas Bates, president of Evonik Degussa Corporation, who attended Thursday’s event celebrating the award in Horsham, noted that all components of RohMax’s site safety and health program met the high quality expected of VPP participants.

“VPP status can only be achieved through a team effort that requires everyone to contribute,” said Bates. “Each RohMax employee played an integral role in this three-year endeavor by attending safety meetings, providing feedback to management, improving their individual safety performance, and looking out for their co-workers. I congratulate everyone on this very impressive achievement.”

Greg Bialy, president and chief executive officer of RohMax USA, noted that from 2006 to 2008, the Total Case Incidence Rate (TCIR) at the site was zero – 100% below the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s (BLS) industry averages. He added that the Days Away from Work, Restricted Activity or Job Transfer (DART) case incidence rate was also zero – again, 100% below the 2007 BLS industry averages.

“This could not be achieved without the dedication of all our employees,” said Bialy. “We are grateful for their tireless efforts to implement and maintain our superior safety and health programs. We believe everyone has the right to work in a safe and healthy environment.”

Bialy added that out of over 6 million companies in the U.S., fewer than 2,000 firms have achieved the VPP STAR designation. “This honor is a testament to our highly motivated work force and our dedicated management team,” he continued. "It is a privilege to work with a team of employees that is committed to elevating workplace safety and health programs, which ultimately works for everyone's benefit."

The RohMax Oil Additives business line has been developing and manufacturing high-performance lubricant additives for more than six decades. Its products include VISCOPLEX® viscosity index improvers, pour point depressants and dewaxing aids as well as VISCOBASE® synthetic base fluids. VISCOPLEX® and VISCOBASE® are registered trademarks of an Evonik Industries company.

For additional information about Evonik Industries in North America, please visit our website: www.evonik.com/north-america.