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NATIONAL PETROLEUM AND REFINERS ASSOCIATION AWARDS VEOLIA WATER FOR EXCELLENT SAFETY PERFORMANCE
Veolia Water staff at Westlake Petrochemical and ConocoPhillips water treatment facilities win for second and third straight years, respectively
HOUSTON, April 30, 2004 – The National Petroleum and Refiners Association (NPRA) once again presented Veolia Water North America (formerly known as USFilter Operating Services) with two “Contractor Awards for Meritorious Safety Performance” at the association's annual National Environmental and Safety Conference. Veolia Water maintained a perfect recordable incident rate in 2003 while managing the water and wastewater treatment facilities at Westlake Petrochemical Corporation and the ConocoPhillips Refinery, both in Lake Charles, La.
NPRA President Bob Slaughter said, “Now in its 22nd year, NPRA's Safety Awards Program recognizes those facilities that for the past year have achieved the highest possible safety standards in their daily operations and in their products and services. These awards really honor the men and women who are on the front lines of operations at the nation's refineries and petrochemical facilities. They are everyday heroes who understand that superior safety performance and environmental compliance are critical not only to business success but to safeguarding the communities where they operate and the nation.”
The “Contractor Award for Meritorious Safety Performance” is awarded to companies who achieve a total recordable incident rate (IRI) of 1.5 or less out of a minimum of 20,000 hours at that client's site in 2003. At both water/wastewater treatment sites operated and managed by Veolia Water, the (IRI) rate was zero with approximately 22,000 hours worked.
"We are extremely proud of Veolia Water's NPRA safety award,” said Lisa Lawrence who is the health, safety and environmental manager at the Westlake Group's Lake Charles Complex. “The Westlake Group site has been an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) STAR site since 1998 in recognition of our employees' strong commitment and outstanding record of safety and health in the workplace. Protection for contract workers is extremely important, and their demonstration of a strong commitment to safety and health is essential.”
Jill Achee, Veolia Water area manager who oversees operations at both winning facilities said, “Safety is our No. 1 priority. Complacency is not an option when it comes to workplace safety, and we work hand-in-hand with our clients to ensure a safe work environment for our employees and our clients.”
Achee attributes much of the company's safety program success to the employees. “Our employees understand the individual and team commitment required to sustain a safe work environment. This commitment involves continuous participation in all safety awareness programs implemented by the client, contractor co-op and Veolia Water. Receiving these awards exemplifies this commitment. In fact, this is the third year in a row that our staff at ConocoPhillips and the second year our Westlake staff have received this recognition from the NPRA,” added Achee.
Veolia Water's excellent safety record at its industrial sites extends beyond the two facilities in Lake Charles. The company's 12-month rolling IRI average is 2.0 and its lost-time incident rate (LTIR) is 0.2 – both numbers are significantly better than the industry average. The company's first quarter safety results are perfect with both the IRI and LTIR numbers being zero.
Headquartered in Houston, Veolia Water North America operates approximately 400 municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment facilities in the United States and Canada. Since March 2000, the company has provided water production and wastewater treatment services to ConocoPhillips' Lake Charles Refinery. In July 2001, Veolia Water began providing water and wastewater services at Westlake Petrochemical Corporation's Lake Charles complex.
Company Information: Veolia Water North America is the leading provider of comprehensive water and wastewater services to municipal and industrial customers, providing services to approximately 14 million people in more than 600 communities. The company is part of Veolia Water, the No. 1 water company in the world serving more than 110 million customers. Veolia Water is the Water Division of Veolia Environment (NYSE:VE and Paris Bourse: VIE), the largest environmental services company in the world with more than 310,000 employees in about 80 countries and annual revenues of more than $28.6 billion. Visit the company's web site at www.veoliawaterna.com.
Important Disclaimer: Veolia Environnement is a corporation listed on the NYSE and Euronext Paris. This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, including the risks described in the documents Veolia Environnement has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Veolia Environnement does not undertake, nor does it have, any obligation to provide updates or to revise any forward-looking statements. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of documents filed by Veolia Environnement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from Veolia Environnement. |
