July 16, 2002 - National Semiconductor Corporation's (NYSE:NSM) manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas has received ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 Certifications, two key international safety and environmental standards. ISO 14001 is an environmental management standard, and OHSAS 18001 is a specification for an occupational health and safety management system.
To qualify for ISO 14001 certification, National conducted an in-depth review of all the ways it impacts the environment and studied how these impacts can be controlled or mitigated. As a result of this proactive, internal review, National Semiconductor set specific targets for reductions in natural gas consumption, air emissions and hazardous waste generation. “The ISO 14001 certification process has provided an excellent platform for achieving continuous environmental improvement at our site,” said Jeff Manfolk, National’s environmental program manager in Arlington.
OHSAS 18001 certification combines several international standards for occupational health and safety. It also requires a management system that identifies, controls and seeks continuous improvement in occupational health and safety. National Semiconductor’s focus in this area has been, and continues to be integrating industry best safety practices into the manufacturing working environment.
“National is committed to providing a safe working environment. And, this certification underscores our efforts to ensure our employees are working in a safe manner,” said Robert Bianconi, manager of health and safety at National’s Arlington facility. “Instituting and executing on our proactive policies is the right way for National to do business.”
International certifications are becoming a requirement for doing business with European customers. Consequently, all of National Semiconductor’s manufacturing facilities are working to obtain their certification. In fact, the company’s site in South Portland, Maine received both the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications last month.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor is the premier analog company driving the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of-the-art digital technology, the company is focused on the fast growing markets for wireless handsets; displays; information infrastructure, and information appliances. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $1.5 billion for its most recent fiscal year and has about 10,000 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.
