Recordable case incidence rate continues to decline in corrugated packaging facilities

Packaging Digest

The recent 2008 FBA / AICC Corrugated Container Industry Annual Report of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses reports a continued decrease in recordable case incidences. This voluntary report analyzes 660 plants that are members of either FBA or AICC. Brian O’Banion, FBA Vice President, reported the recordable case incidence rate shows a significant decline from 2.73 in 2007 to 2.58 in 2008. This rate continues the trend that has dramatically decreased over the last decade, down from 6.77 in 1998. 

Brian O’Banion says, “This long term trend shows tremendous commitment on behalf of our industry members on their increased safety performance and we would like congratulate them on their achievements.”

In light of the newly released injury and illness report, FBA and AICC awards the Corrugated Industry Safety Awards to the sheet plants and corrugator plants with the fewest reported injuries or illnesses in relation to the number of hours worked for the preceding calendar year. Each winner had the greatest amount of hours worked with no recordable cases and no lost days.

Five sheet plants and nine corrugator plants from seven different companies will receive
awards for their outstanding performance in the field of safety in 2008. The winning plants include:

Sheet Plants
Up to 50,000 Hours:  Temple-Inland Elgin, IL
50,001 to 70,000 Hours:  Landaal Packaging Systems Bay City, MI
70,001 to 100,000 Hours:  US Corrugated, Inc./Mannkraft Corp. Milwaukee, WI
100,001 to 150,000 Hours:  Temple-Inland Buffalo, NY
Over 150,001 Hours:  Temple-Inland Chicago, IL

Corrugator Plants
Up to 150,000 Hours: Packaging Corporation Of America Windsor, CO
150,001 to 200,000 Hours:  Packaging Corporation Of America Garland, TX
200,001 to 225,000 Hours:  International Paper Northlake, IL
225,001 to 250,000 Hours:  Georgia-Pacific Corporation Sheboygan, WI
250,001 to 275,000 Hours:  International Paper Indianapolis, IN
275,001 to 300,000 Hours:  Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation Minneapolis, MN
300,001 to 325,000 Hours:  Temple-Inland Manson, NC
325,001 to 375,000 Hours:  Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation Sandston, VA
Over 375,001 Hours:  Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation Ft. Worth, TX

In order to recognize exceptional performance of plants that achieved zero incidents for
2008, but did not win a category, FBA established the Perfect Plant Award. 129 plants will receive Perfect Plant Awards. This is the first year FBA is recognizing this award.

In addition, 295 plants will receive Safety Excellence Awards, which are presented to all
sheet plants or corrugator plants that had no lost workdays due to a job-related injury or
illness for the calendar year.

Source: Fibre Box Association