June 9, 2011
Koch Pipeline Company, L.P. (KPL) is proud to announce that its Bethany, Mo., station has been recognized for earning the Star status under the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). The Bethany station is located in Eagleville, Mo.
KPL owns and operates approximately 4,000 miles of pipeline carrying crude oil, refined products, natural gas liquids and chemicals, and stations in Missouri, Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
VPP Star is among industry’s most prestigious awards. It is reserved for employers who provide exemplary occupational safety and health protection and serve as models for others. The achievement is based on criteria related to hazard prevention and control, safety and health training, management leadership, and employee involvement, among many others. OSHA determines the designation through site visits, interviews with employees and management personnel, annual evaluation and documentation review. The agency found that the site appropriately controls potential hazards and diligently provides safety and health training for employees.
“This is a tremendous honor for our company and a great testament to the hard work and dedication of our Bethany employees,” said Dave Stecher, vice president of KPL Northern Operations. “VPP is the gold standard for safety. Attaining it doesn’t happen easily. It takes a dedication and commitment to working safely – day in and day out – and meeting and exceeding OSHA’s expectations.”
KPL has received the 2010 Distinguished Award for Outstanding Safety and Environmental Performance from the American Petroleum Institute, its highest honor. In addition, it has received numerous local, state and national safety awards, as well as being recognized as one of America's Safest Companies by EHS Today magazine. Its Southern Operations Group achieved Star certification in 2007.
Employees of KPL have set a company safety record by working 10 years – which equaled nearly 7 million work hours – without a lost-time incident. The 7 million hour milestone was surpassed on May 4, 2011. Koch Pipeline’s overall OSHA recordable rate — a safety benchmark — is 0.00, compared to the latest industry average of 1.9. When it comes to working without an injury resulting in time away from work, the company’s rate is also 0.00, compared to industry’s 0.50 average.