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American Ref-Fuel Semass Plant Named Star Site

Nov. 28, 2000

OSHA will welcome the American Ref-Fuel Semass waste-to-energy\r\nfacility located in Rochester, Mass., into its STAR Voluntary\r\nProtection Program later this week.

EHS Today Staff

OSHA will welcome the American Ref-Fuel Semass waste-to-energy facility located in Rochester, Mass., into its STAR Voluntary Protection Program at a ceremony being held Thursday.

According to Ruth McCully, OSHA''s New England Regional Administrator in Boston, the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) are designed to recognize and promote effective safety and health management.

In the VPP, management, labor and OSHA work together at a workplace that has already implemented a strong safety and health program.

McCully stressed that VPP participants are a select group of facilities that have designed and implemented outstanding health and safety programs.

In addition, STAR participants must meet all the stringent VPP requirements.

The American Ref-Fuel Semass plant has operated since 1989 and converts more than one million tons of garbage per year into electricity to meet the needs of an estimated 75,000 homes, while recovering nearly 40,000 tons of metal for re-use.

The facility employs approximately 195 workers. It is noted for having a three-year injury incident rate (1997 to 199) that is 56 percent below their industry average.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.