Boart Longyear Receives SHARP Safety Award

SALT LAKE CITY, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boart Longyear (www.BoartLongyear.com) - (ASX: BLY), the world's leading integrated exploration drilling products and services provider, received the distinguished Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award from the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on May 31, 2012, for their Salt Lake City manufacturing plant. 

The prestigious SHARP award is granted to companies that maintain an exemplary safety and health management system. The Salt Lake City plant manufactures Boart Longyear diamond coring bits, including the family of patented UMX diamond core bits.

The SHARP award was presented by the Utah Commissioner of Labor, Sherrie Hayashi. "Boart Longyear is the best of the best, one of only nine SHARP companies in Utah," said Hayashi. "It's all about making sure employees go home safely, and Boart Longyear has shown this is a high priority in their Salt Lake City plant."

The SHARP award is not easily obtained. The Boart Longyear Salt Lake City manufacturing facility worked with OSHA to identify and implement best practices to protect workers by developing an innovative management system.

"Not many companies would invite OSHA to inspect their facilities; however, we want to assure our employees that they are working in the safest place possible," said Kelly Call, environmental health and safety coordinator of the Boart Longyear Salt Lake City manufacturing plant.

The correct culture must also be created. Boart Longyear strives to boost morale by increasing employee buy-in of all practices. Another emphasis in the SHARP award is on improved communication among workers and management. Employees are also encouraged to practice safety outside of the work environment.

"The entire Boart Longyear company takes safety very seriously," said Drew Butler, plant manager of the Boart Longyear Salt Lake City manufacturing plant. "We implement the same safety standards and practices as our drillers out in the field."

Boart Longyear showcased their commitment to safety through volunteer employee Safety Champions that make rounds each day looking for safety risks. Boart Longyear has invested in their employees by continually making small and large improvements in processes and equipment. Safety training, team building and motivational training also take place on a regular basis. With the extra attention to the safety and health of the work environment, they are able to produce more diamond drill bits in two shifts than they had in three shifts prior.

With the recognition as a SHARP facility, The Boart Longyear Salt Lake City manufacturing plant is granted an exemption from OSHA programmed inspections for up to two years.

About Boart Longyear
Boart Longyear is the world's largest mineral exploration drilling company. With over 120 years of expertise, the company provides both drilling services and related drilling products for the global mineral exploration industry. It also has a substantial drilling and products presence in mine de-watering, environmental sampling, energy and oil sands exploration.  

Boart Longyear is a global company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: BLY) in Sydney, Australia. Sales in 2011 were over US$2.0 billion, and the company employs over 10,000 employees worldwide. Contract drilling services are conducted in over 40 countries, and exploration products are manufactured in seven global factories and sold to customers in over 100 countries.

Boart Longyear was a private company for over 85 years. In 1975, it was purchased by Anglo American and headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Private equity purchased Boart Longyear in 2005 from Anglo American and subsequently listed the company on the ASX in April of 2007.

More information about Boart Longyear can be found on the Internet at www.boartlongyear.com. To get Boart Longyear news direct, visit http://www.boartlongyear.com/rssfeed.

Contact: Cody Dingus
Global Marketing and Communications Manager
Phone: +1 801-231-2096
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Boart Longyear