November 23, 2020 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Portland Cement Association (PCA), representing America’s cement manufacturers, recently announced the winners of the 2020 Safety Innovation Awards, recognizing creative safety-enhancing projects in the cement industry. The winners were determined by a panel of judges that evaluated safety projects completed in 2019 from across the country in five categories: distribution, pyroprocessing, general facility, quarry and mine, and milling and grinding.

“Our industry prioritizes the safety of its employees above all else,” said PCA President and CEO Michael Ireland. “We are proud of our members efforts to pursue excellence in safety innovation for their company and their colleagues.”

The following are the 2020 Safety Innovation Award winners:

Distribution

Buzzi Unicem USA Inc. — Joliet, Illinois

Barge Entry Ladder: Buzzi Unicem’s Joliet cement terminal reduced fall hazards associated with unloading cement from barges by designing an adjustable wall-mounted barge entry ladder.

General Facility

Ash Grove Cement Company — Durkee, Oregon

Upgraded Cart for Burner Pipes: Ash Grove Cement Company’s Durkee plant reduced safety hazards associated with moving cement kiln burner pipes by designing an upgraded, automated cart. 

Milling/Grinding (Tie)

The Monarch Cement Company — Humboldt, Kansas

Roller Mill Noise Reduction: The Monarch Cement Company’s Humboldt plant reduced noise hazards at its roller mill by custom designing foam insulators filling gaps in mill components.

Buzzi Unicem USA Inc./ Signal Mountain Cement Co. — Chattanooga, Tennessee

Finish Mill Access Platform: Buzzi Unicem USA’s Chattanooga plant reduced fall hazards from accessing the finish mill by designing, fabricating, and installing a platform above the mill.

Pyroprocessing

GCC of America — Pueblo, Colorado

Semi-Automated Clinker Feeding System: GCC of America’s Pueblo plant reduced employee exposure time and risk associated with working inside the clinker dome by designing a semi-automated clinker dome feed system.

Quarry

Ash Grove Cement Company — Louisville, Nebraska

Dump Box Hardened Material Extraction Tool: Ash Grove Cement Company’s Louisville plant reduced multiple hazards associated with moving material but developing a dump box hardened material extraction tool for their skid steer.

For more information, please visit https://www.cement.org/awards/2020-safety-innovation-award-winners.

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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 over 90% 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.