The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) revealed that the Liquid waste contractor Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) achieved over 10 million safe working hours, demonstrating the efficacy of their safety-first culture. This milestone reflects hours worked without any job-related injury or illness preventing an employee from returning to work the following day according to a press release.

According to a press release, Jim Folk, the assistant manager for waste disposition at DOE-Savannah River, said, "We are proud of the safety culture that we nurture at SRS." "We see over and over that the safest way to do the job is the best way to do the job."

According to a press release, SRMC has successfully carried out a number of high-hazard activities since the beginning of the 10 million safe hours count. These operations include the transfer of hazardous and radioactive liquid waste as well as their treatment and immobilization.

"In every job we perform, we consider the safety of the workers performing that job," stated Dave Olson, president and program manager of SRMC, in a press release. "As we prepare for a task, we should always ask, 'What may go wrong?' We need to investigate any safety risks and make adjustments to our procedures as needed.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that for every 10 million hours worked in the hazardous waste treatment and disposal industry, a large company like SRMC can expect to have 40 employees who are unable to return to work the following day.

"The work being performed across the entire SRS Liquid Waste Program is a one-of-a-kind challenge," said Dave Olson, president and program manager of SRMC, in a press release. It's a testament to how well we work together that we've managed to achieve so much without incident."