OREANDA-NEWS. The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) has recertified the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery as a Minnesota STAR (MNSTAR) site through 2018. A Pine Bend employee luncheon was held at the refinery yesterday to celebrate the recertification.

 The voluntary MNSTAR program recognizes companies with strong safety and health management systems that exceed basic compliance with OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses.

 Over the past 14 years, the Pine Bend refinery has decreased recordable injuries by more than 80%. The refinery, which has been recognized as a MNSTAR site since 2006, is one of 33 MNSTAR worksites in Minnesota.

 Commissioner Ken Peterson of the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry, who attended the luncheon at Pine Bend today, said, “Your designation as a MNSTAR site is testament to the level of excellence in all areas of your safety and health management system.”

 “Safety is one of our highest priorities at the refinery,” said Scott Lindemann, vice president of operations and plant manager at the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. “This recertification means a great deal to us. It’s affirmation of how hard our employees work every day to perform their jobs with the utmost care and skill.”