ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch + Lomb, the global eye health company, announced today that it has secured two globally recognized certifications that include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001: 2004, for environmental management, and the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001: 2007, for occupational health and safety management, at its Tampa, Fla., and Clearwater, Fla., manufacturing sites.
“This is a significant milestone in meeting the goals of our sustainable business strategy. It shows that Bausch + Lomb is committed to providing high-quality products to our customers, minimizing our impact on the environment, and ensuring our employees are healthy and safe," said Amy R. Butler, vice president, Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb.
ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 are environmental, safety and health management standards that set requirements for an organization to measure and document their environmental impact and health and safety of employees. To achieve these globally recognized certifications, Bausch + Lomb had to demonstrate to an accredited certifying body, TUV North America, that it identifies and tracks the health, safety and environmental impacts of its business and continuously works to improve its performance in those areas.
The Bausch + Lomb Tampa and Clearwater sites leveraged their existing quality management systems to address the administrative requirements of the ISO 14001 certification, which included document control and management review. To help qualify for the OHSAS 18001, the Tampa facility established a behavior-based safety program called "Wise Owls" that has contributed to improving work-related injury and illness rates. The Clearwater facility recently improved the energy efficiency of its compressed air system by reconfiguring compressors and manifolds to meet production floor demand as well as maintaining an effective safety committee to identify and reduce hazards throughout the site, which has led to zero lost time injuries and illnesses in 2010.
"These certifications demonstrate that Bausch + Lomb has an integrated system in place to manage the quality, health, safety, and environmental impacts of our business. Sustainability is becoming an ever increasing concern, and in many cases a requirement of our customers. These management system certifications will be a backbone for achieving our sustainable business goals,” said Lawrence J. Gelb, director, Global Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb.
Bausch + Lomb is currently pursuing ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification at its St. Louis, Mo., and Greenville, S.C., manufacturing facilities, which is anticipated for May 2011.
Other Bausch + Lomb locations that have previously earned and currently maintain ISO 14001 and/or OHSAS 18001 certifications include:
- Optics Center, Rochester, N.Y. (14001/18001)
- Waterford, Ireland (14001/18001)
- Livingston, Scotland (14001/18001)
- Milan, Italy (14001)
- Berlin, Germany (14001)
- Beijing, China (14001)
- Hastings, United Kingdom (14001/18001)
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About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare companies in the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. Its products are available in more than 100 countries. More information is available at www.bausch.com.
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