BOC Edwards South Africa Receives NOSA Safety Management Awards.

CRAWLEY, England -- BOC Edwards South Africa (Proprietary) Limited has received two NOSA International awards in recognition of performance evaluations and audits conducted in 2004 at a nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) production facility the company manages in Pelindaba, South Africa. NF3 is used in a variety of semiconductor manufacturing process steps and is classed as a hazardous material. The widely-recognized NOSA awards pay tribute to individuals and companies who excel in occupational risk management, and have achieved outstanding results in operating healthy and safe work environments.

The BOC Edwards team received two NOSA Awards-first at the national level in late 2004, followed by competition at an international level where they received a NOSCAR (National Occupational Safety Accredited Award), the highest award level under the NOSA integrated safety system.

"This is a tremendous achievement and well-deserved recognition for the South Africa team," said Andy Coote electronic materials global manager for quality and safety at BOC Edwards. "The site teams, led by Basil Miller, BOC Edwards South Africa safety health and environment manager, are to be congratulated on receiving the prestigious NOSA international award. It is continuing proof of the robust management systems that were implemented at this strategic site, and complements the ISO9001:2000 certification received last year from SABS (South African Bureau of Standards)."

The extensive facility audit, conducted by NOSA in July 2004, included review of safety management systems, incident records, training programs, waste management, environmental responsibility and more. "The results were evaluated and compared with other companies at regional, national, and finally, international levels," said Basil Miller. "At the international level, the company's performance scored extremely high, and we were fortunate to be honored with a 5-Star NOSCAR Award-the highest rating in the NOSA system."

The various operating companies owned by the BOC Group plc manufacture and distribute some products that are potentially hazardous, and they are committed to practicing and communicating safe operations around the world. It is as important for the Group to transmit safe working methodologies to customers and suppliers as it is to have clear, entrenched and measurable performance standards practiced at all BOC facilities. Each business unit in each region of the world has a safety function, which is aligned with the unit's business activities and connected to the Group's other safety functions by a peer group network. This ensures that global best practice and the business' functional requirements are always at the forefront.

BOC Edwards, part of The BOC Group (NYSE:BOX, LSE:BOC), is a leading supplier of materials, process-enabling subsystems and services to fabs and OEMs involved in the manufacture of microelectronics devices. Serving two million customers in more than 50 countries, The BOC Group is one of the largest and most global of the world's leading gases companies, with annual sales of GBP 4.6 billion (more than US$8 billion) in 2004. Information on the BOC Group can be accessed by visiting the Group web site, www.boc.com. Specific information on BOC Edwards can be found at www.bocedwards.com. E-mail inquiries can be sent to [e-mail].

Founded in 1952, Nosa International is a worldwide operational risk management services and solutions company. The company's services and products have been pivotal in improving the risk management performance of companies across the globe. Apart from its 13 offices in Africa, it has several more established offices in Australia, China and S. America. Employing highly qualified staff with expertise in systems integration, risk management, environmental management, occupational health and safety management, HIV/Aids management, behavioral safety, training and consulting, Nosa International has developed a global portfolio that spans the full spectrum of operational risk management. For more information, visit www.nosa-int.com.