RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Office of River Protection (ORP) contractors recently earned the highest DOE safety awards during the 32nd annual National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association Safety and Health Conference in Kissimmee, Fla.
September 30, 2016
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RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Office of River Protection (ORP) contractors recently earned the highest DOE safety awards during the 32nd annual National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association Safety and Health Conference in Kissimmee, Fla.
Bechtel National Inc. (BNI), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) received the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star of Excellence awards, signifying they had Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rates 75 percent lower than their industry counterparts. Wastren Advantage Inc. received the VPP Legacy of Star award. To achieve this legacy level, a company must have had four consecutive years of Star of Excellence awards.
DOE launched its VPP in 1994 to encourage and recognize excellence in occupational safety and health protection. The program outlines areas DOE contractors and subcontractors can exceed compliance with DOE orders and OSHA standards. It relies on cooperation between managers, employees, and DOE to continuously improve health and safety programs.
BNI is the prime contractor for construction of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and WRPS is the prime contractor for managing ORP’s tank farms. WAI is the prime contractor managing the 222-S Laboratory on Hanford Site.
BNI subcontractor Intermech Inc. also received the VPP Legacy of Star award.
Courtney Blanchard of ORP’s Safety and Health Division attended the DOE conference and praised the ORP contractors for the recognition they received.
“This is amazing and ORP contractors received two of the three Legacy of STAR awards (given during the conference),” said Blanchard. “It is like having four employees: two rated excellent and two rated outstanding.”
WAI is only in its second year managing the 222-S laboratory, but earned the award for four consecutive years of star awards.
“DOE VPP does allow a new company that is awarded the contract to submit a written justification why they should retain their DOE VPP status,” said Blanchard. “WAI justification included that their staff remained the same: safety and health manager Bill Leonard stayed, and appointed laboratory manager Kris Kuhl-Klinger, who was instrumental in ATL's first Star of Excellence.” ATL was the lab’s previous contractor.
“I have observed something in both of these companies that, I believe, makes them such great places to work and have excellent safety results,” Blanchard continued. “Each employee takes ownership of themselves and their fellow workers. They work like the unselfish well-executing sports team, only focused on what matters to them. Employee safety is their primary objective. And all the employees in both companies are proud of their DOE VPP status.”