The winners of the 10th DuPont Worker Safety and Health Award were announced this past December 9. This is one of Latin America's largest awards in the segment of best practices in the work environment and honors companies and students who apply or suggest the company's technologies to improve the safety of industry professionals. This year, the event was held online.
Maurício Duval Macedo, general director of Cipa Fiera Milano, spoke during the event about the importance of the partnership with DuPont for the realization of the award, “which has grown stronger each year.” “Together, we pay this rightful tribute and recognition to the innovative projects of companies and students who have applied or recommended the PPE developed by DuPont's team of scientists, engineers, and visionaries worldwide,” Macedo stated.
During the event, the winners in the categories “Thermal Protection,” “Cut and Abrasion,” “Chemical Protection,” “Student Project,” and “Influencer of the Year” were announced, along with the two new awards for this edition: “Latin America International” and “Best Solution for the Coronavirus.” The winners received trips to the USA, laptops, and wireless headphones.
Check out the winning projects below:
Thermal Protection
1st place: Rockwell Automation
The world's largest company for industrial automation solutions, the 2018 Cut and Abrasion Category champion, now takes the trophy in the Thermal Category. Its project promoted an immediate improvement in the protection of electrical workers at the Jundiaí (São Paulo) plant by replacing blended garments with innovative Nomex® Essential Arc suits.
2nd place: Painco
As a leader in the mass production of welded components, Painco realized that treated cotton uniforms were not providing its employees with optimal protection against thermal and arc flash hazards. By choosing DuPont™ Nomex® Essential Arc, the company reduced the risk of full-body burns from 38% to 20%, extended the service life of the PPE from 50 to over 200 washes, and ensured greater comfort and mobility for its employees.
3rd place: Santo Antônio Energia
Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Power Plant, the country's third-largest hydroelectric power generator, located on the Madeira River in Rondônia, underwent a comprehensive occupational safety project that involved the implementation of DuPont™ Nomex® Essential Arc technology. Santo Antônio Energia, which manages the plant, ensured greater protection for its employees, who also confirmed the high level of comfort offered by the PPE.
Cut and Abrasion
1st place: Vale
The world's second-largest mining company has ensured greater protection and comfort for vulcanization workers at the Porto da Madeira Maritime Terminal, Brazil's largest port, in Maranhão. For the project, the company began using gloves, sleeves, and protective clothing featuring Kevlar® Armor technology, achieving an extremely high level of protection, comfort, and dexterity.
2nd place: Parker
Upon realizing that knitted gloves were not protecting workers' hands against temperatures of up to 240°C, Parker Hannifin, a global leader in motion and control technologies, decided to look for PPE that would effectively address the protection-temperature-dexterity triangle. The solution was DuPont's Kevlar® technology, which in tests offered longer-lasting protection, greater dexterity, ergonomics, and cost savings.
3rd place: Michelin
The multinational company, one of the world’s leading manufacturers and sellers of tires, quadrupled (from 7 to 27 days) the durability of protective gloves by replacing leather PPE with Kevlar®® in the blade replacement process for a rubber extrusion machine in Itatiaia (RJ). DuPont technology enhanced protection against cuts, abrasion, and high temperatures, ensured flexibility and dexterity, and reduced costs by 68% in the long term.
Chemical Protection
1st place: Nissan
Automaker Nissan has raised safety standards against low-temperature injuries during the CO2 blasting process at its industrial complex in Resende (Rio de Janeiro). In this project, the facility implemented overalls featuring Tyvek® technology, which helped achieve a historic milestone of 400 days without lost-time accidents in the paint shop, reduce defect rates in the process, and generate cost savings thanks to the durability of the PPE.
2nd place: Ball
Ball Packaging, which has operated in the aluminum market for over 135 years, has instituted a comprehensive employee training project across all of its South American facilities to raise awareness about the importance of correctly using Tychem® 4000 protective clothing for effective chemical protection in the workplace. The success was so great that the project is set to be expanded globally.
3rd place: ArcelorMittal
DuPont™ Tyvek® 500 safety coveralls were the ideal solution found by ArcelorMittal, one of the leading steel-producing companies worldwide, to protect workers at a mine in Itatiauçu (Minas Gerais) against agents such as oil, grease, degreasers, and dust. The decision ensured greater protection and comfort for employees and a reduction in daily PPE replacements, resulting in significant cost savings.
Latin America International
1st place: Sunshine Bouquet (Colombia)
Sunshine Bouquet, a flower production and export specialist, realized that its dyeing and composting processes needed safer PPE. The company began using DuPont™ Tyvek® garments, which neutralized chemical and biological risks without compromising employee comfort or mobility. The project brought the number of accidents in the company's dyeing area down to zero.
2nd place: Quintana Wellpro (Argentina)
The company specialized in providing high-quality equipment and services in drilling, workover, and oil extraction identified the need to incorporate more advanced technology in employee protection against electric arcs. After analyzing different materials, it chose Nomex® Comfort garments, which absorb much less moisture compared to cellulosic fibers, offer high protection, and provide better cost-effectiveness.
3rd place: Argentine Pharmaceutical Industry
The need to promote a safer production environment in its Human Pharma Laboratory led the Argentine Pharmaceutical Industry, which produces tablets and granules, to conduct abrasion, permeability, and chemical transfer tests on various materials used in PPE. DuPont™ Tyvek® performed best in all categories, including comfort, tear resistance, seams, and flexibility.
Student
1st place: Genoma Rede de Ensino (Betim – MG)
The student Juscilaine de Almeida Santos, from Genoma Rede de Ensino, in Betim, Minas Gerais, analyzed an accident involving a sodium hydroxide leak at ArcelorMittal. Following an extensive study, DuPont™ Tyvek® 500 safety coveralls were implemented, proving to be superior to competitors in strength, durability, comfort, and material.
2nd place: Senac Santos (SP)
How can we reduce cases of allergies caused by workers’ exposure to industrial detergents? Student Gislaine Kéli Fonseca Marino, from Senac in Santos (SP), found the solution while working on a project that implemented DuPont™ Tychem® 2000 coveralls at a company that specializes in the maintenance and cleaning of chemical tanks. Result: 100% worker approval, zero absences due to allergies, and reduced costs.
3rd place: Senac Santo André (SP)
In a project by student Keith Ribeiro Alexandre, Senac in Santo André (SP) detected that gloves used for machine maintenance by employees of the transport company Testa Transportes, from São Bernardo do Campo (SP), were inadequate due to the high risk of cuts, punctures, and burns. Kevlar® gloves solved the problem, resulting in significant gains in protection and comfort.
COVID-19 protection
Honoree: Butantan Institute
One of the country's main vaccine and serum production centers chose the Tyvek® Isoclean line to ensure safety, comfort, and quality for professionals who began handling SARS-CoV-2 virus samples daily in viral pathogenicity study, diagnostic, prevention, and disease treatment processes. The initiative follows the Butantan-DuPont partnership, which earned the institute first place in the Chemistry Category in 2018, in a project authored, as in this year, by Vanessa Evelin Jesus Vilches Sant’Anna.
Influencer of the Year
Awarded: Cristiano Ferreira and Isamara Cruz
Company: ArcelorMittal
Number of likes: 4,754 votes
Video: https://we.tl/t-1lU7KsHikz
In the awards“ most-liked video, the safety engineer and safety technician from ArcelorMittal in Serra Azul (MG) discuss a company case involving an emergency response team, risk management, and their controls. In protecting emergency responders against chemical hazards, the professionals” conclusion is spot on: "Use DuPont!"
For more details about the award, visit the official website: www.premiodupont.com.br
SOURCE:
CIPA Magazine
