Flint Hills Resources has one of the best safety records in the refining and chemical industry. The company’s overall OSHA recordable incident rate for 2009 was 0.59, while the manufacturing industry average is 5.0; for lost-time incidents – those resulting in time away from work – the Flint Hills average is 0.11 compared to the industry’s 1.2 rate. These rates indicate the number of incidents per 200,000 hours worked. This is a direct result of the safety commitment its employees have integrated into their daily lives. But the company’s safety programs are not simply tied to personal safety. The company has developed systems to track process safety performance and has contributed to industry and regulatory agency discussions on ways to improve performance and develop standards.
The company has 10 sites that have earned Voluntary Protection Programs Star Status through either the state or federal safety agency. The VPP designation is the highest recognition offered to worksites.
A number of sites set new safe work records in 2009:
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9 years without a lost-time injury – Corpus Christi, Texas, refining complex – December
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430 days without a recordable injury and 485 days with no lost-time incidents – Longview, Texas, petrochemical site – November
2009 Milestones
Flint Hills Resources' terminals group received the Platinum Award from the International Liquid Terminals Association, the group also earned this award in 2007. The award recognize not only a perfect safety year with no OSHA recordables or lost-time incidents but also a commitment to sustaining a strong safety program and industry leadership. Terminal operations in Wisconsin were honored with the Grand Corporate Safety Award from the Wisconsin Safety Council.
The Pine Bend Refinery received the Operator Award from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for its wastewater treatment operations.