Science Company DuPont announces the safety of employees; their families, the community, and the environment are top priorities as DuPont sites prepare for Hurricane Rita.
The company operates nine manufacturing facilities in the Texas Gulf Coast area including: Corpus Christi, Victoria, Bayport, Baytown, LaPorte, Houston, South Houston, Beaumont, and Sabine. Each of these sites is initiating hurricane preparedness procedures as outlined in their facility risk management plans.
Each facility is working in concert with local emergency management authorities to take appropriate action, which includes the safe and orderly shutdown of operations, and the release of non-essential personnel. As of 10:00 a.m. Thursday, all nine sites have shut down or were in the process of shutting down.
Each facility has a severe weather plan unique to its needs. In many cases, severe weather teams may be housed on-site or nearby in hurricane-safe locations. Following the storm, these teams will begin work as soon as it is safe to assess any damage and plan for a safe startup.
DuPont is applying lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, including providing employees with a toll-free number to contact in the event that local communication is disrupted by the storm. The focus of DuPont immediately after the storm will be accounting for employees and ensuring that they and their families are safe.
DuPont also is communicating closely with customers to understand their needs.
Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.