Date: December 11, 2006

CLEVELAND … Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation recently received the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration VPP (Voluntary Protection Programs) Star Award for Safety at the company’s Heavy Duty Transmission Division Forge facility in South Bend, Ind. The award recognizes companies that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to safety through the creation of management systems with active employee involvement to prevent or control safety and health hazards.

The award was presented by Lori Torres, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Labor, during a recent ceremony in South Bend that was attended by some 200 people. In presenting the award, Torres said, “VPP Star status is a significant achievement, which showcases those businesses who, from top management to every employee, invest in, buy into and succeed in implementing and sustaining exemplary safety records. This site is especially unique in that Eaton has garnered the very first VPP certification for a forging operation in the U.S. The Department of Labor is delighted to recognize the high level of commitment demonstrated by Eaton.”

John Buck, plant manager, accepted the award on behalf of Eaton and noted that the facility was also the first plant within the Eaton truck group to be recognized.

Steve Smith, environmental health and safety manager for the Eaton plant, added, “We have an aggressive safety program that involves everyone here. That has resulted in our cutting our accident rate in half and our worker’s compensation claims by 90 percent. All of us are extremely pleased to receive the OSHA recognition.”

The Eaton Heavy Duty Transmission Division Plant is a 120,000 sq ft. site with 116 employees. The plant produces steel forgings that are used in the manufacturing of Eaton transmissions, Dana axles and other truck components.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2005 sales of $11.1 billion. Eaton is a global leader in electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; intelligent truck drivetrain systems for safety and fuel economy; and automotive engine air management systems, powertrain solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has 60,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 125 countries.