OREANDA-NEWS. For the fifth time in ten years BP Decatur has been awarded the first place recognition award from the Manufacture Alabama Safety Conference for outstanding safety performance.

“This award is a great accomplishment for the entire site. Our employees truly live our guiding principle of a safe workplace each and every day.” said Decatur Site Manager Terry Welch.

The site's Occupational, Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury rate has decreased significantly over the years, dropping 68 percent since 2001.

BP Decatur is an OSHA VPP Star Worksite, a designation OSHA gives to worksites that protect employee safety and health using comprehensive safety and health management systems. OSHA Star sites also must have achieved a three-year injury/illness rate below the industry's average.

BP Decatur is committed to excel as a safe place to work, to maintain environmental compliance and to consistently deliver high-quality products to its customers.

Amanda Retherford and Jeremy Holmes, both safety engineers in BP Decatur's Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) department, accepted the award on behalf of BP Decatur.

“Safety is the top priority at BP year in, year out.” Retherford said. “We're honored to see our lasting commitment to safe operations at Decatur recognized so many times over the past decade.”

Located in Northern Alabama, BP Decatur is the world's only commercial manufacturer of naphthalene dicarboxylate (NDC), a chemical used in new-generation polyesters and resins to make LCD flat-panel displays, ultra-thin data storage tape and high-strength tire cord. The facility employs over 800 BP employees and contractors.