BONITA SPRINGS, FL - Thirteen composite panel facilities and one corporation as a whole were recognized for their safety achievements during the Composite Panel Association's annual spring meeting held last week in Bonita Springs, FL.

Arauco North America received the Safety Innovation Award for the Safety Leadership Program implemented at its particleboard and MDF mills in Moncure, NC. Arauco's use of leadership training, monthly safety updates communications, and procedure and policy development resulted in the facilities recording their lowest incident rate in the last 15 years, while  the severity and frequency of incidents also decreased.  Workers’ compensation claims also dropped 90% in 2014. 

Composite panel plants in the Class I (low worker-hours) and Class II (high-worker hours) were also recognized for:

• Best long-term safety record over the past three years: Del-Tin Fiber LLC, El Dorado, AR (Class I) and Louisiana-Pacific Corp., East River, NS (Class II).

• Having zero incidents among Class I plants during 2014: Arauco North America (MDF), Bennettsville, SC; Arauco North America, Malvern, AR; Arauco North America, Sault Ste Marie, ON; and Del-Tin Fiber LLC, El Dorado, AR.

• Safety improvements: West Fraser Mills Ltd. (WestPine), White Court, AB (Class I) and Langboard Inc., Willacoochee, GA (Class II).

• Achieving an incident rate of less than 50% of the industry average, over the past three years.  Class I plants were: Arauco North America, Malvern, AR; Del-Tin Fiber LLC, El Dorado, AR; SierraPine, Martell, CA; West Fraser Mills Ltd. (Ranger Board), White Court, AB; and West Fraser Mills Ltd. (WestPine), Quesnel, BC.  Class II plants were: Arauco North America, Albany, OR; Louisiana-Pacific Corp., East River, NS; Louisiana-Pacific Corp., Roaring River, NC; and Roseburg, Missoula, MT.