A safety alliance established between the Mine Safety and Health Administration and Portland Cement Association in November 2008 was renewed this week in a signing ceremony at MSHA headquarters in Arlington, Va. Flanked by senior staff members of both organizations, MSHA Assistant Secretary Joseph Main and PCA President and CEO Brian A. McCarthy signed the agreement that extends the alliance through December 2015. Both organizations have agreed to continue to work cooperatively to identify and evaluate cement industry-specific health and safety hazards; analyze accident and violation data; and develop and distribute information, training and educational tools. Calling it one of MSHA's more successful and productive alliances, Main thanked PCA for its members' commitment to safety and health, in particular one initiative involving the prevention of injuries from coal-fired ignitions during the cement-making process. "This is an excellent example of government and industry working together to improve safety for the employees of a large and important sector of the mining industry," he said.

Provide information, education and training, and technical assistance to raise safety and health awareness within the cement manufacturing industry, and to help prevent injuries and illnesses and protect worker safety and health;

Conduct annual summary analyses of incidence rates for U.S. cement plants, and perform worker injury and illness case studies to identify hazardous safety and health conditions and practices;

Develop education and training programs for operator and contractor employees working in cement manufacturing plants and quarries;

Develop and share best practices and effective approaches to improve operator and contractor safety and health in cement manufacturing plants and quarries; and

Collaborate on emergency response, rescue and recovery techniques for facility operations located at cement manufacturing plants and quarries.

Agreement [78 kb - PDF]

Portland Cement Association Web Site