NORFOLK, Va., April 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern NSC today received the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care® Partner of the Year award for its exemplary performance and safety record in the transport of chemical products.

Norfolk Southern was one of three companies and the only freight railroad to receive the ACC's premier partner award. The award goes to high-performing companies involved in the distribution, transportation, storage, use, treatment, disposal, and sales and marketing of chemicals vital to American businesses and households.

"Norfolk Southern is fully dedicated to rail industry leadership in the safe and sustainable transport of chemical goods, and we thank the American Chemistry Council for this recognition," said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Wheeler. "Our partnership with the council and its member shippers represents a strong commitment across business sectors to ensure the safety and security of our employees, communities, and environment while delivering the quality service that our customers expect."

The railroad has been an active participant since 1996 in the voluntary Responsible Care Partner program, which is the chemical industry's environmental, health, safety, and security performance initiative. A commitment to continuous improvement in those four performance areas is a condition of membership for both ACC members and Responsible Care Partner companies such as Norfolk Southern.

As a Responsible Care Partner, Norfolk Southern must achieve third-party certification of its business management systems every three years, a rigorous process that includes reviews of the railroad's safety, environmental stewardship, and security programs. In 2017, Norfolk Southern experienced zero employee fatalities on the job, a requirement to be considered for the Responsible Care Partner award.

Norfolk Southern also maintains an extensive outreach program to promote community safety. That includes operating a safety train that provides free classroom and hands-on training to local firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel across the railroad's network on how to prepare for and safely respond to rail incidents.

The American Chemistry Council presented the partner award to Norfolk Southern during the 2018 Responsible Care Conference and Expo in Hollywood, Fla.

Visit NS' Operation Awareness & Response website to learn more about the railroad's commitment to safe transport of freight; click on the Training tab on the menu bar to view the safety train's 2018 schedule.  

About Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation NSC is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

http://www.norfolksouthern.com

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern