Excellence Refined - 30 Years - Valero

Safety &
environmental
From refineries and field offices to retail
stores and corporate headquarters, safety is
a cornerstone of Valero history. By the time
Valero arrived in 1980, the safety culture
was firmly entrenched following an overhaul of LoVaca
Gathering Company’s operations in the late 1970s. Once
Valero entered the refining business, its safety culture
became even more critical.
A commitment to safe operations was the first item listed
in the new company’s mission statement. Despite the
tremendous change it endured since then, Valero has not
wavered on safety expectations. To this day, it is the first
item of discussion at all executive management meetings,
and celebrations make reference to the latest safety
achievements. Best safety practices and safety incident
reports are shared among all refineries, and injury
rates consistently beat the industry average. “Safety is
integrated into every facet of the company’s operations,
from planning work through completion,” said Kirk
Saffell, Vice President of Health, Safety & Environmental.
“It is our way of doing business.”
One of the most visible ways Valero showcases its
safety record is through an annual Chairman’s Award.
Every January, refineries with the best records in safety,
environmental performance and reliability are celebrated
by Valero’s top management. The Chairman’s Safety
Award is the longest-running company award, dating
back to 1981. It honors the Valero refinery with the best
performance in a number of safety areas, including total
recordable injuries, loss-time injuries and process safety
management performance. “The refineries that achieve the
most in these areas … are also doing the most to advance
Valero in its mission to become a world-class competitor
in the global energy business,” said Rich Marcogliese,
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
“We know that all of our refineries have achieved much
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