MIDDLETOWN, Ohio, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AK Steel said today that it is joining with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to form a strategic partnership to further strengthen safety and health efforts at the company's Mansfield (OH) Works. Through the OSHA Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP), AK Steel and OSHA will work cooperatively on safety and health training and education programs. The OSPP is a voluntary, cooperative relationship formed by OSHA in order to encourage, assist and recognize a company's efforts to achieve a high level of worker safety and health. Since the OSPP began in 1998, more than 400 partnerships with OSHA have been formed nationwide, impacting more than 20,000 employers and one million employees.
"Employee safety is AK Steel's number one priority," said James L. Wainscott, chairman, president and CEO of AK Steel. "We look forward to enhancing our ongoing safety and health program at the Mansfield Works through this cooperative partnership with OSHA."
A ceremony for signing the partnership agreement was held today at the Mansfield plant. Participants included Jule Hovi, OSHA area director from the agency's Toledo office, John F. Kaloski, senior vice president, operations for AK Steel and Craig S. Mauro, general manager of the Mansfield Works.
AK Steel has worked cooperatively with OSHA for many years. Three AK Steel facilities have earned the prestigious safety Star award under OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), signifying that the plants' safety programs go above and beyond OSHA requirements. In 2001, AK Steel's Butler (PA) Works became the first steel plant in the nation to receive the OSHA VPP Star. The company's Rockport (IN) plant was awarded the VPP Star in 2002 and re-certified in 2006. And, the Columbus, Indiana facility of the company's subsidiary AK Tube LLC received its Star in 2006.
During 2006, AK Steel tied its best-ever companywide safety performance with an industry-leading total recordable injury rate of 0.36, which was about 10 times better than the steel industry average.
Headquartered in Middletown, Ohio, AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steel products, as well as carbon and stainless tubular steel products, for automotive, appliance, construction and manufacturing markets.