Responsible Care® Companies Achieve Trifecta of Record Safety Performance

Data Shows Record Lows in Transportation, Process and Worker Safety

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced today that its members have achieved a historic trifecta of safety performance: record lows in transportation safety, process safety, and worker safety.¹ These achievements reflect ACC and its members' impactful actions to protect employees, communities, and the environment through Responsible Care.

"This trifecta of record safety performance is a powerful demonstration of ACC and our members' leadership in operational excellence," said Chris Jahn, ACC President and CEO. "Responsible Care companies are illustrating what leadership in safety and accountability look like in modern manufacturing." 

Responsible Care implementation is required of all ACC manufacturing members and Partners, and compliance is third-party audited. Each year, companies transparently report performance across a variety of environmental, health and safety metrics. Notable achievements, based on the most currently available member data, are below.

Transportation Safety: The safe distribution and handling of chemicals is a critical priority for ACC and its members. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, close to one million shipments of hazardous materials occur daily.

• Record Performance: ACC members reported the lowest ever number of distribution incidents. Since 2017, ACC members have achieved a 35% reduction in distribution incidents.

Process Safety: Responsible Care^® companies are committed to operating safely. The Responsible Care Process Safety Code enables a culture of process safety from operations to management systems and leadership.

• Record Performance: ACC members reported a record low number of Tier 1 process safety events. Since 2017, ACC members have reduced Tier 1 process safety events by 22%.²

Worker Safety: Responsible Care sets ACC members apart. For more than a decade, Responsible Care companies have annually averaged less than one recordable injury or illness per 100 employees. This is better than major sectors including manufacturing, retail, agriculture, food stores, and general merchandising.

• Record Performance: For the second year in a row, ACC members reported a record low total recordable injury and illness incidence rate (TRIR). Since 2017, ACC members have reduced TRIR by more than 24%.

The announcement follows the 2025 Responsible Care^® & Sustainability Conference, where ACC recognized Responsible Care award winners - leading companies, individuals and initiatives which demonstrated outstanding achievements under Responsible Care.

"Safety is the foundation of trust in our industry," Jahn added. "Our members understand that protecting people and the planet is essential to earning and keeping that trust. These record-setting results show what's possible when safety is embedded in everything we do."

American Chemistry Council

The American Chemistry Council's mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care^®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably—for generations to come.

¹ Reflects available data since ACC began collecting these metrics in 1993.
² ACC uses API Recommended Practice 754: Process Safety Performance Indicators for the Refining and Petrochemical Industries for classifying process safety events

SOURCE American Chemistry Council