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MONSANTO CARONDELET PLANT HONORED WITH OSHA VPP AWARD July 11, 1997, St. Louis, Mo. Employees at the Monsanto Carondelet plant were honored today by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for their work to make the Carondelet plant one of the safest in the nation. Employees were on hand as OSHA officials presented Craig Vanderburg, Carondelet plant manager, with the official certification making it one of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star plants. The plant manufactures food grade phosphate products for a variety of applications in the baking, dental, and soft drink industries. "While the ceremony lasted only a few minutes," Vanderburg explained, "the work that went into achieving Star status took several years. The Carondelet plant has always had a strong safety program, but to receive OSHA Star status, employees had to further develop their safety-first attitude and meet very rigorous safety standards." In order to become a "Star" site, the plant participated in a comprehensive review conducted by OSHA officials. Included DSW 138105 STLCOPCB4038062 were checks of records, reviews of compliance programs and lengthy interviews with employees. OSHA concluded that the Carondelet plant was qualified for its highest level within the VPP program. Vanderburg explains that to achieve Star status requires several steps. It begins with hazard identification. Extensive effort is put into evaluating operations and work situations to find potential hazards. From there the program moves into hazard correction with employees working to change and fix areas where potential hazards were identified. Areas of concern include all of the basics of work place safety and health. "Employee enthusiasm and participation were the keys to achieving Star status", Vanderburg said. "Approximately 60 percent of the plant's employees actively participated on various teams, getting input from the other 40 percent." All Monsanto U.S. plants have set the end of 1997 as the target for achieving VPP Star status. Monsanto plants outside the U.S. will strive for OSHA VPP Star equivalent safety performance certified through their local industrial safety associations. The Carondelet plant joins 19 other Monsanto sites that have achieved Star recognition within the VPP program. -oOo- DSW 138106 STLCOPCB4038063 DSW 138107 STLCOPCB4038064