PCA Announces 2017 Safety Innovation Awards

May 9, 2017, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Portland Cement Association (PCA) announced the winners of the 2017 Safety Innovation Awards, which recognize creative safety-enhancing projects in the cement industry. Presented at the PCA Board meeting and Fly-In event, the winners were determined by a panel of judges that evaluated innovative submissions from across the country in the following categories: Distribution, Pyro-processing, General Facility, and Milling/Grinding.

CalPortland was recognized as the winner of the Distribution category for their innovation at the CalPortland Cement Terminal, Portland, OR.  CalPortland employees found a better way to perform bucket elevator mechanical inspections while the elevator is locked out.  The Cement Terminal Team in Portland, OR found that when they mounted a railcar opener on a bucket elevator, they could advance the elevator chain very slowly for inspection and still maintain control of the energy sources. Team members were able to complete three complete bucket elevator inspections in 2016 and plan to do regular inspections on all bucket elevators to prevent catastrophic failures in the future.

“Employee and workplace safety is a core value of the American cement industry,” said PCA President and CEO James G. Toscas. “We congratulate the winners and are proud of their effort to pursue excellence in safety innovation for their company and their colleagues.”

About CalPortland

CalPortland Company is a major producer of cement, ready mixed concrete, aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in the western United States and Canada. Founded in 1891 with the principle of providing unsurpassed quality, CalPortland remains a leader in the industry through its commitment to quality, safety, customer service, technical excellence and environmental leadership. The company maintains its headquarters in Glendora, California and operates in the Western U.S. and two Canadian Provinces. For more information about CalPortland Company, visit www.calportland.com

About The Portland Cement Association

The Portland Cement Association (PCA), founded in 1916, is the premier policy, research, education, and market intelligence organization serving America’s cement manufacturers.  PCA members represent 92 percent of U.S. cement production capacity and have facilities in all 50 states.  The association promotes safety, sustainability, and innovation in all aspects of construction, fosters continuous improvement in cement manufacturing and distribution, and generally promotes economic growth and sound infrastructure investment.  For more information, visit www.cement.org