SPRINGFIELD, MA - PPC member Graphic Packaging International’s Elk Grove, IL plant recently earned PPC’s revered “One Million Hour” safety award for logging one million consecutive injury-free hours.

Recording their last incident in April 2012 and averaging about 50,000 work hours per month, achieving this safety target is especially impressive at such a high-volume and fast-paced plant. To maintain safe working conditions on the shop floor, staff members must be vigilant while completing their tasks as well as remain aware of those around them.

“Every employee has played a key role in achieving this milestone,” noted Justin Basso, Elk Grove’s Health and Safety Manager at Graphic Packaging International. “Promoting the message for all of our employees to stay safety-savvy is the key to our success. Recognizing the importance of safe actions at work, along with our day-to-day activities outside of work, helps keeps the safety message strong. Congratulations to the whole team!”

“It’s exciting to see a plant accrue one million hours of operation with no recordable incidents,” said PPC Director of Industry Benchmarking Brian Chaisson. “We’re thrilled to honor Graphic Packaging’s alert team of professionals who do exemplary work, day after day.”