Air Liquide receives Leonard Parker Pool Safety Award from the Compressed Gas Association

For the fifth time in recent years, American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. has been honored with the Leonard Parker Pool Safety Award for excellence in occupational safety by the Compressed Gas Association (CGA). The prestigious industry award was recently announced at CGA’s annual meeting of its members.

The award, in memory of industrial gas executive Leonard Parker Pool, is presented annually to CGA member companies that have recorded the greatest improvement in safety performance during the previous two years, and is based on the total recordable case incidence rates as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Air Liquide was awarded this honor for companies with greater than 5 million employee exposure hours, the largest recognized category.

Said Air Liquide USA LLC president & CEO Michael Graff, “We are honored by this recognition. Safety is not only a priority of Air Liquide, it is a core commitment of each and every employee throughout the organization, from plant operators to executive management. Beyond its importance to all of us at Air Liquide and the communities in which we operate, we firmly believe that safety contributes ultimate value to our customers, helping them assure greater levels of efficiency, productivity and quality.”

The CGA’s reporting and awards program promotes safety awareness as an extension of the Association’s charter which focuses on safety and self regulation. Recipients of the Leonard Parker Pool Safety Awards are selected for demonstrating long-term advancement in their safety records. Commented Marc Meteyer, president of CGA, “It is with great pleasure that we honor those member companies who are committed to a safer industry.”

Representing more than 100 member companies, the CGA is dedicated to the safe manufacture, transportation, storage, transfilling and disposal of industrial and medical gases and their containers. CGA is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited Standards Developing Organization and works directly with federal, state and provincial agencies to promote safe and responsible practices and regulations. More information at www.cganet.com.

Through its subsidiary businesses, American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc., the subsidiary of Air Liquide Group responsible for its North American operation, offers industrial gases and related services to a variety of customers including those in large industry, industrial manufacturing, electronics, specialty and healthcare marketplaces. Air Liquide USA LLC is the subsidiary of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. responsible for administrative leadership and support of U.S. operations.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide’s activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.

Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its customers but also for society. Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry’s energy use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow, such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy… Oxygen for hospitals, homecare, fighting nosocomial infections…

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive growth. The diversity of Air Liquide’s teams, businesses, markets and geographic presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group’s revenues amounted to €13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were earned outside France. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.