Contact: Bonnie Merrill Limbach
(202)974-5210

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPI WORKS WITH MICHIGAN TO PROMOTE WORKER SAFETY

WASHINGTON (March 20, 2000) – The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) recently was instrumental in helping the State of Michigan to eliminate an economic hardship on its $19.4-billion plastics industry while fostering worker safety in its plastics processing plants.

In a press release praising the "innovative partnership" that accomplished this feat, the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services (CIS) explained the circumstances leading to the effort.

According to CIS, which administers the Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Act (MIOSHA) program, the organization had discovered that a 1993 federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lockout/tagout standard carried such a severe economic impact that some companies were ignoring it, which created a worker safety hazard. (Lockout/tagout refers to the process of cutting off energy sources so that machinery remains inoperative during servicing or maintenance, which is vital to preventing injuries and fatalities.)

In addition, CIS said, companies attempting to implement the standard found that it greatly increased the time needed to change a mold, and the cooling of the molten resin during the lockout affected resin integrity. Because most molding machines are controlled by computers today, the lockout also had the potential to damage the machines themselves.

"What was alarming to CIS was that workers were being placed in potentially dangerous situations because the industry apparently was not complying with the lockout standard," said CIS Director Kathy Wilbur. "We decided it was imperative to find a solution to the plastics industry's problems while protecting Michigan workers."

SPI was asked to participate in creating that solution by Timothy Koury, corporate safety director for SPI member company Blue Water Plastics and an appointee to the MIOSHA General Industry Safety Standards Commission.

After efforts to achieve a national resolution to the problem through OSHA failed, it was decided to draw upon the state's own safety and health plan, amending a 25-year-old plastics standard, Part 62, that prescribed certain safety requirements for horizontal injection molding machines and related operations.

In meetings, the partnership of SPI, MIOSHA, Koury and Michigan plastics manufacturers and union members was able to come to an amendment that solved the problem without diminishing the integrity of standard. It did this by utilizing the interlock system, which would allow a hasp to hold the interlock gates open and, therefore, eliminate the danger of unintentionally starting the machine.

The MIOSHA General Industry Safety Standards Commission reviewed the recommendation, held public hearings and then amended Part 62. The amendment wasfiled with the Secretary of State on January 24 and became effective on February 8.

"The amendment to Part 62 permits plastics processors in Michigan to pursue a safe alternative to conventional lockout of a horizontal injection molding machine in a manner that reduces downtime without jeopardizing the safe working environment for the employee," according to Susan Howe, SPI technical director for worker and product safety, who participated in the discussions.

"We were pleased to play a role in a successful conclusion to this problem for our members and other plastics processors in Michigan," Howe added. "Worker health and safety is a focus for SPI," she continued, "and this is one of numerous initiatives we have in place to help our members recruit, retain, train and ensure the safety of their workers."

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., (SPI) is the trade association representing the fourth-largest manufacturing industry in the United States. SPI's nearly 1800 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.3 million workers and provides $274 billion in annual shipments.

Back to Top

More About SPI:   Vision and Mission . Membership . Business Units . Regional Offices . News and Publications . Calendar of Events . Terms and Conditions of Use