Air Products Recognized by Compressed Gas Association for Outstanding Occupational Safety Improvement

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) has been recognized for outstanding occupational safety improvement, receiving the coveted Leonard Parker Pool Award from the U.S. Compressed Gas Association (CGA).

Presented annually to a participating CGA member company that has recorded the greatest improvement in safety performance during the previous two years, the award is based upon the total recordable incidence rates, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The award is named in memory of the late Air Products founder and Chairman, Leonard Parker Pool, who was recognized as an industry modernizer and an advocate for continuous improvement in operational safety. The award was presented at the CGA's annual meeting―this is the 99th year of the meeting―in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Commenting on the award, Joe Pietrantonio, vice president, Environment, Health, Safety & Quality and chief engineer, Air Products, said, "The legacy of our founder Leonard Pool has gifted us a very strong safety culture. We are extremely proud of that but we remain mindful not to take it for granted. Safety, like every other aspect of business, has to be actively managed and continuously improved upon.

"The award is worthy recognition for all of our employees and for many of our customers who place the same high priority on safety performance."

The CGA's reporting and awards program promotes safety awareness as part of the Association's charter to facilitate and encourage safety and self regulation.

Mike Tiller, CGA president, commented, "We at the CGA are proud of the tradition of safety excellence among our member companies. We congratulate Air Products on winning the prestigious Leonard Parker Pool award for 2011."

Air Products also received two environmental excellence awards from the CGA, one for its reduction of ammonium bifluoride (ABF) waste at its electronic specialty materials facility in Hometown, Pennsylvania, and the other for its solar farm situated at its corporate headquarters.  

The Compressed Gas Association, founded in 1913, is dedicated to the development and promotion of safety standards and safe practices in the industrial and medical gas industry. For more information, visit www.cganet.com.

Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.  

SOURCE Air Products