RICHLAND, Wash. - Before mowing his lawn, Ben Culver inspects the mower and the surrounding area. He tosses a net his 3-year-old daughter uses to catch bugs out of the way.
Always on the lookout for any defects or obstacles that could lead to an unsafe environment, Culver has picked up these safety-focused habits during his 17-year career at the Hanford Site.
On the job, Culver is no stranger to offering suggestions to management in the name of improving safety. His focus on safety led to the recommendation that he become the building trades craft safety representative for Hanford contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M).
Culver works for Indian Eyes, LLC, a CH2M subcontractor, and supports the project technical services group, calling it the best job he could ever ask for. Non-Hanford Site employers for whom he has worked in the past focused on getting the job done as quickly as possible so they could move to the next task, he said.
“CH2M truly cares and respects the workers," he said. “Management listens to what we have to say and gives us the freedom to do our work and to do it safely, while also empowering us to find ways to do our job better."
Culver remains motivated to be safe at work and home, and while doing things he enjoys, like catching bugs with his daughter, watching the Seattle Seahawks or mowing the lawn.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
