DALLAS, TX, 29-OCT-01 -- Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's Lufkin Operations has earned two National Safety Council (NSC) awards in recognition of its outstanding efforts in occupational safety performance for the year 2001. The NSC Green Cross for Excellent Achievement award recognized the plant's achievement of working for one full year, October 16, 2000, until October 16, 2001, without an on-the-job accident or injury resulting in a lost workday.

The facility was also awarded the NSC's Perfect Record award for working an astonishing 674,054 employee-hours without an occupational injury or illness, a perfect safety record stretching back to October 1995. Additionally, the Texas Safety Association presented the plant with a congratulatory Safety Award in recognition of its six years without a lost workday due to on-the-job injury/illness.

These awards are recognition for an outstanding group of exceptional employees, said Tommy Thompson, director - Lufkin Operations. Workplace safety is of utmost importance to us, and I cannot express how pleased I am for this employee team; their dedication to a safe working environment. It is a pleasure to be part of a team that values safety and performance, and I congratulate all Missiles and Fire Control employees here in Lufkin for their achievement.

The safety program at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Lufkin involves several safety representative employees. These representatives handle and communicate safety problems, conduct safety training and participate in accident investigations, when applicable. They meet monthly to review safety-related issues and make plans for safety awareness among the employees. Once a month, safety-related training communications are sent to all Lufkin employees to keep safety awareness active, as well as to increase overall safety education.

Employing more than 8,500 people, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with additional base operations in Orlando, Fla., and manufacturing and assembly facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., Chelmsford, Mass., Camden, Ark., Horizon City and Lufkin, Texas, Ocala, Fla., White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and Troy, Ala. The company is a business unit of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Bethesda, Md.