WAYNE, N.J. – GAF Materials Corporation plants nationwide recently secured multiple awards given by the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), an organization representing the majority of North America's asphalt roofing manufacturing companies and their raw material suppliers. Ninety-eight facilities participated in the prestigious Accident Prevention Contest in 2009, broken down into categories based on the number of labor hours worked per year.

ARMA’s top award is the ARMA President’s Award, presented to the top scoring company within each category. In the group for over 300,000 labor hours worked, GAF’s Savannah, Ga. plant took the top spot, with its Mt. Vernon, Ind. plant coming in second. In the group for 200,000 to 300,000 labor hours worked, GAF’s Myerstown, Pa. plant came in first.

The ARMA Award of Excellence is presented to category winners that have demonstrated the lowest three year averaged ARMA Index. Coming in first in the group for over 300,000 labor hours worked was GAF’s Savannah, Ga. plant. GAF’s Fontana, Calif. plant came in first in the group for 200,000 to 300,000 labor hours worked, and its Chester, S.C. plant tied for first in the group for 100,000 to 200,000 labor hours worked per year. 

“We are very proud of the accomplishments all the facilities have made in reducing injuries over the last three years,” said Tim Machelski, Manufacturing Operations Vice President at GAF. “These awards confirm that safety has remained a top priority for GAF through a merger and an economic downturn.  We still have opportunities to improve, but it is reassuring to know we are on a positive course towards eliminating work place injuries.”

Eleven of GAF’s plants received a Certificate of Achievement from ARMA, recognizing that the facilities had lowered their ARMA index by 25 percent from the prior year. These included: Baltimore, Md.; Ennis, Texas; Fontana, Calif.; Fresno, Calif.; Mt. Vernon, Ind.; Myerstown, Pa.; Nashville, Tenn.; North Branch, N.J.; Savannah, Ga.; Shafter, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.; and Tuscaloosa, Ala..

There were also eight GAF plants recognized for having zero lost and restricted workdays and zero reportable OSHA incidents, including: Chester, S.C.; Fresno, Calif.; Mt. Vernon, Ind.; Myerstown, Pa.; Nashville, Tenn.; North Branch, N.J.; Port Arthur, Texas; and Savannah, Ga. In total, GAF had 13 plants that placed within the top 10 in their categories.