AIKEN, S.C. - More than 3,000 federal and contractor employees visited nearly 70 informational booths focused on the Savannah River Site ’s (SRS) safety culture during an annual expo at the Applied Research Center last week.
Led by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the SRS management and operations contractor, the safety expo drew participants from the site’s more than 12,000-person workforce, including EM liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation, Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, and the U.S. Forest Service. The expo covered topics ranging from cybersecurity and hand safety to school bus safety and care for seniors.
“The SRS Safety Expo is an important tool in the broader SRS engagement toolbox," said Stuart MacVean, SRNS president and CEO. “Thanks to ongoing partnerships with employee-led local safety improvement teams, community organizations, SRS contractors, stakeholders, and the Department of Energy, employees are afforded time to learn about important topics that are applicable at work, at home, and in the community."
For Susie Ferrara with SRNS Community Outreach, the expo is an opportunity for safety growth, reflecting pride in the workforce’s safety accomplishments.
“I am a second-generation SRS employee. I was raised to embody a safety-first mindset because my father brought it home with him every day from work. Thanks to him, I’ve benefited from seeing the world through a safety lens and now it’s my turn to pass those values on to the next generation of nuclear workers," Ferrara said.
MacVean said the event showcased comradery within a workforce built on strong safety values.
“The information shared with employees in a fun and engaging environment strengthens our safety posture and most importantly, empowers them with information to improve their safety, personal security, environmental awareness, and personal health and wellness at home and in their communities," MacVean said.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
