HEALING SPRINGS, Georgia. April 06, 1999 -- Georgia-Pacific executives today presented its formaldehyde production facility here with the Chairman’s Safety Award. In January, the plant surpassed 500,000 hours without an OSHA recordable accident and also completed its 27th consecutive year of operation since start-up in January 1972 without a recordable injury.

Georgia-Pacific Chairman and CEO Pete Correll created this special award in 1996 to recognize company facilities that demonstrate outstanding safety performance.

“The Healing Springs safety story is a truly remarkable story,” Correll said. “I am proud of what these employees have done and recognize them as the ultimate example of what we can accomplish when we commit ourselves to a task. Congratulations -- and thank you -- to this special group of employees who make a difference every day by working safely.”

“The accomplishment of no other major workplace objective is as satisfying as knowing that no employee has ever left work suffering from the effects of a workplace injury,” said Mario Concha, Georgia-Pacific vice president - chemicals and resins.

“Over the past 27 years, our employees at Healing Springs have actively demonstrated that injury-free performance is more than a goal but that it can be a reality as we work together to eliminate workplace accidents,” Concha said.

“Our employees are especially proud of this accomplishment because we have become the first Georgia-Pacific Chemical Division facility to earn the Chairman’s Award for safety,” said Cliff Cremeans, plant manager. “Our plant has just 12 employees, but that fact serves to illustrate the significance of working more than a quarter-century without an OSHA accident.

“We focus a lot of attention on safety, which is a way of life in our culture. We believe in the philosophy that nothing is so important that it can’t be done safely. This record was accomplished because of personal commitment and accountability through a dedicated team effort.”

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is the leading manufacturer and distributor of building products in the United States and one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of pulp, paper and building products and related chemicals. The company employs 46,500 people at more than 400 locations in the United States and Canada.

Media Contact:
Cliff Cremeans (336) 859-2143