OMNOVA Solutions’ Ohio Plant Receives Ohio Chemistry Technology Council Award

FAIRLAWN, Ohio—The OMNOVA Solutions Performance Chemicals facility in Mogadore, Ohio was presented with a 2006 Award for Excellence in Environmental, Health, Safety, and Security Performance from the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC) for the second year in a row. The award recognizes effective, vital, and sustainable programs that have resulted in measurable enhancements to company performance, and the commitment to working in close collaboration with government officials, industry peers, and communities to share successes and encourage good relations.

The plant received the award for its new electronically managed Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) system. An MSDS is a technical document, which contains information regarding the safe use and handling requirements for a particular material. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM), employers are required to maintain an MSDS of each chemical material used in their manufacturing activities, and to ensure ready accessibility to all employees. The new system provides employees at OMNOVA’s Mogadore facility with the enhanced ability to quickly access information on the materials currently used at the plant, as well as a library of three million additional MSDS documents, while reducing paper usage and improving the information retrieval process. The system also provides a faster, simpler way to communicate MSDS changes provided by material suppliers.

“We are continually looking for ways to improve our safety and environmental performance,” said Dan Hagerty, OMNOVA product stewardship manager and the project leader. “As a member of the American Chemistry Council and a Responsible Care company, we are committed to providing our employees with the necessary information to conduct day-to-day operations, as well as to create the safest possible working environment. This is another in a long line of proactive measures implemented by OMNOVA that reflects the company’s focus on safety, health, environmental and security performance.”

The 2006 Awards for Excellence in Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Performance were presented on March 19 at the Ohio Statehouse on the opening day of the 29th Annual Conference of the OCTC. OMNOVA’s Mogadore facility won a 2005 award for its project to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in the plant’s wastewater, achieving a 99 percent removal rate.