Casa Grande, Az. (June 16, 2015) – Fabricated Products Inc. (FPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Doe Run Company (Doe Run), recently achieved 1.5 million hours without a lost time accident. This milestone, reached in May 2015, represents more than 16 years of safe work at FPI’s Casa Grande facility and 10 years of safe work at its Vancouver, Washington, facility.

“With only 42 employees working at FPI, it takes many years of commitment to safe work to reach 1.5 million safe hours,” says Dave Olkkonen, general manager of the FPI division. “Such a record requires each of our employees to keep their own safety, and the safety of their fellow workers, a top priority. We are proud of our team’s dedication to making our workplace as safe as possible.”

Because FPI manufactures complex products, including nuclear materials transport and storage containers, shielding for X-ray machines, and lead oxide for batteries, numerous safety procedures are in place to protect employees:

  • FPI holds regular meetings to identify potential issues and employees take an active role in developing new processes to prevent them.
  • All employees have ownership with regard to the continuous improvement in the safety of day-to-day operations and help educate one another on ways to work safely.
  • FPI employees also participate in approximately 20 hours of Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) regulated training, and complete assessments to demonstrate their understanding of the material and how it can be incorporated into their daily tasks.

“It is critical that we have strong safety processes in place to protect our employees, keep our operations running smoothly and provide quality products to our customers,” says Mark Yingling, vice president – environmental, health and safety at Doe Run. “Our FPI employees have created an exemplary culture of safety, and we congratulate them for their commitment to keeping each other safe every day.”

In 2014, FPI also earned the National Safety Council’s (NCS) Perfect Record Award by fulfilling OSHA’s standards of operating without an occupational injury or illness involving days away from work for a period of at least twelve consecutive months. The Casa Grande facility has earned the recognition each year since 2000.

Annually, FPI manufactures 30,000 tons of lead products. Its Casa Grande location produces sheet lead for roofing; lead shielding to block sound waves, X-rays and nuclear radiation; storage containers for radioactive materials transport and storage; lead anodes for copper and zinc electrowinning; bullet materials; and specialty extruded shapes. FPI also operates a facility in Vancouver, where it produces lead oxide for the manufacturing of lead-acid batteries. Approximately 90 percent of Doe Run’s total lead production is used in lead-acid batteries, which help start vehicles, deliver emergency power, and store renewable energy from solar and wind farms.

About The Doe Run Company

Based in St. Louis, The Doe Run Company is a privately held natural resources company and a global provider of lead, copper and zinc concentrates. Dedicated to environmentally responsible mineral and metal production, Doe Run operates one of the world’s largest, single-site lead recycling centers, located in Boss, Missouri. The Doe Run Company and its subsidiaries deliver products and services necessary to provide power, protection and convenience. Doe Run has operations in Missouri, Washington and Arizona. For more information, visit www.doerun.comor sustainability.doerun.com.

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