EM contractors across the complex were recognized for safety and health excellence in DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) at a recent symposium in New Orleans.
Working through cooperative efforts among labor, management, and government at DOE contractor sites, the VPP promotes improved safety and health performance through public recognition of outstanding programs.
The EM Portsmouth Site Infrastructure Support Services (ISS) contractor Portsmouth Mission Alliance (PMA) earned the VPP Star of Excellence award at a workshop held in conjunction with the Voluntary Protection Program Participants’ Association (VPPPA) Safety+ Symposium late last month.
PMA has not experienced a recordable injury/illness or lost work day during its contract to date, amounting to 400,000 safe work hours in less than a year and a half. This is the seventh consecutive VPP Star of Excellence award received by Portsmouth Site ISS contract employees.
“Portsmouth Mission Alliance’s outstanding safety culture is a reflection of our motto, ‘Where Safety Leads - Performance Follows,’" said John Bukowski, president of PMA and parent company North Wind Solutions.
The award is presented to DOE VPP Star sites that maintain an injury/illness rate at least 75 percent below the Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average, meet annual VPP goals, actively mentor other companies, and demonstrate strong community involvement.
Pictured at left, with Portsmouth Mission Alliance’s (PMA) Voluntary Protection Program award are, top row, from left, Brent Clark, North Wind Group Northeast Regional Manager and PMA Deputy Project Manager (PM); Damon Detillion, PMA PM; EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Site Lead Joel Bradburne; PPPO Manager Robert Edwards; and North Wind’s Matt Miller; front row, from left, Leon Owens, PMA Board of Directors; North Wind President John Bukowski; North Wind CEO/President Chris Leichtweis; and Greg Razo of CIRI Government Contracting.
The VPPPA honored Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management contractor URS|CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR) with the Star of Excellence award, VPP Innovation Award, and Safety and Health Outreach Award. UCOR was awarded VPP Star status in 2015.
“We are pleased to receive this recognition from VPPPA," UCOR President and Project Manager Ken Rueter said. “This is yet another in a series of recent awards that recognize UCOR and underscore our commitment to a strong safety culture."
UCOR completed reverification of its Integrated Safety Management System this month.
“This award reminds us of the robust safety culture that characterizes UCOR’s work on the Oak Ridge Site every day and our commitment to a zero accidents policy," Rueter said.
Savannah River Remediation (SRR), EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS), garnered the Star of Excellence award. SRR has been a VPP site since 2009, when it became the SRS liquid waste contractor.
SRR President and Project Manager Tom Foster said receiving the award exemplifies SRR’s commitment to safety and health.
“Winning the DOE-VPP Star of Excellence award is a testament to SRR’s strong safety culture," Foster said. “We employ approximately 2,000 employees who come to work every day with a mindset of working safely not only for themselves, but for their families, coworkers, and their community, and I congratulate them for their commitment."
The VPPPA awarded Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) the Star of Excellence award. SRNS has received more than 110 safety-related commendations since becoming the site’s management-and-operations contractor in 2008.
“SRNS employees take a non-negotiable stance when it comes to workplace safety. Receiving our 16th Star of Excellence serves as continued validation that our safety programs, training, and culture continue to perform to world-class standards," SRNS President and CEO Stuart MacVean said.
New employees have noted that the safety culture at SRNS is unlike any they’ve experienced in past jobs, according to SRNS Safety and Health Program Employee Engagement Lead Barbara Guenveur.
“We get a great deal of satisfaction when we hear that feedback from our newest team members," Guenveur said. “SRNS employees feel a personal responsibility for workplace, community, and national safety."
SRNS employees Curtis Crenshaw, Darrell Freeman, and Loretta Williams were recipients of Safety and Health Achievement awards. The VPPPA bestows that award to employees who exemplify a commitment to safety and health initiatives on and off the job through outreach, training, and implementation of health and safety best practices.
“SRNS employees have a strong commitment to health and safety at work, and in the community. But for some, that commitment is truly noteworthy, as is the case with Curtis, Darrell, and Loretta," said Kliss McNeel, SRNS senior vice president for the environmental stewardship, safety and health division. “Their ongoing work to ensure that our employees go home to their families in the same condition that they arrived is heartwarming and inspiring. We are very proud of them for achieving this award."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
