Bethlehem Steel Corporation
For Immediate Release

BETHLEHEM, Pa., February 6, 2001 - In response to media inquiries concerning the safety record and practices at Bethlehem Steel's Burns Harbor Division in view of the fatal accident and fire on February 2, 2001, the following statement was issued:

Bethlehem Steel Corporation regrets the loss of life and the injuries that resulted from the accident at the 160-inch plate mill at the Burns Harbor Division, and extends its sympathies to the affected families.

At Bethlehem, safety is a core value and it is never compromised. Our safety philosophy is simple and straightforward - any accident is one too many and we will work to prevent it in the future. Furthermore, we believe that safety is a shared responsibility, and every employee must be a partner in providing safe work practices and conditions. Our overall safety goal is just as simple and direct - to have "zero" disabling injuries.

Having that common objective with the United Steelworkers of America, we have made dramatic progress toward achieving our shared goal of "zero" accidents. Any discussion of safety accomplishments is difficult in the context of a fatal accident, but we believe that the Burns Harbor safety record speaks for itself. In the last five years, Burns Harbor's lost time, OSHA recordable and total injuries have been cut in half. The year 2000 was the safest year in the 36-year operational history of the Burns Harbor Division. We are proud of this record, and we believe that the Burns Harbor Division is one of the safest steelmaking facilities in the world.

We also believe that the Division's commitment and tangible investment in safety is second to none. Burns Harbor has a significant number of full-time and part-time employees dedicated to safety, an extensive safety and environmental health training program, and an on-site medical center staffed by qualified professionals 24-hours-a-day.

Bethlehem Steel Corporation strongly disagrees with recent assertions that lapses in the Burns Harbor Division's safety program contributed to the tragic fatal accident and fire at the Division's 160-inch plate mill on February 2, 2001. The events of last Friday serve to remind us that, despite all of our best efforts, steel plants require a high degree of safety awareness and performance in order to prevent hazards from occurring.

We must, and will, redouble our efforts to achieve our vision of an accident-free work environment. To that end, we will continue our joint efforts with the USWA on the local and national level to foster an atmosphere in which all employees are actively involved in the day-to-day process of building the best safety environment, both on and off the job.

Return to News Releases