RAVENNA, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2002--For exemplary safety and health programs and rates, GECP - Lighting's Ravenna Lamp Plant will on November 6th officially celebrate the plant's recognition as a STAR under the Voluntary Protection Partnership (VPP).
A program of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), VPP is a cooperative effort among industry, workers and government to assure safer workplaces in the U.S.
STAR designation is the VPP's highest health and safety honor. The Ravenna production facility manufactures high-intensity discharge light bulbs for applications in global markets.
It is one of only 650 workplaces from among 6.5 million in the U.S. to achieve elite VPP status, based on OSHA statistics, and among only 24 work sites in Ohio to achieve the honor.
The Ravenna Lamp Plant is among 120 GE sites, company-wide, that have either been approved or recommended for approval to the OSHA VPP safety program or similar programs.
In a letter notifying the Ravenna plant of its VPP STAR status, John Henshaw, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health of the U.S. Department of Labor, said, It is my pleasure to inform you that your site has been approved for participation as a STAR site in the Voluntary Protection Program.
Congratulations to the GE Ravenna Lamp Plant employees for your hard work and dedication to the principles embodied in the VPP. I wish you continued success in your safety and health efforts.
In celebration of this significant achievement, Ravenna Lamp Plant employees and GECP - Lighting business leaders, plus a host of local, state, and federal government and community officials, will participate in a ceremony from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on November 6 at the plant (6800 N. Chestnut Street, in Ravenna).
Plant manager for the facility, Ken Snyder, commented, Our employees have worked very hard and very diligently to earn the VPP's STAR status. Achieving VPP standards has proven to be effective in driving superior health and safety performance and in ensuring 100% compliance and minimizing injuries. I commend all of our employees and especially those who have volunteered for our safety teams who have been key in the process to achieve this significant honor.
GECP - Lighting's Global Environmental, Health and Safety General Manager, Bob Lubecky, said, Earning VPP STAR status is a great achievement for our Ravenna Lamp Plant, our employees, and for our business. It signifies the importance our business and our employees place on health and safety.
The Ravenna Lamp Plant is one of 49 global production facilities of GECP - Lighting, which is the lighting business of the overall GECP business that includes appliances as well as lighting.
GECP's world headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, and is one of the General Electric Company's major businesses.
A leader in technology, lamp manufacturing and marketing in the global lighting industry, GECP - Lighting has operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia and produces more than 6,000 types of lighting products.
(For more information on GECP - Lighting and GE, visit web sites www.gelighting.com and www.ge.com.)
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CONTACT: Ravenna Lamp Plant, Ravenna, Ohio
Ken Snyder, Plant Manager, 330/297-4600
or
GECP -- Lighting, Cleveland, Ohio
Janice Fraser, 216/266-2185