Fluor-BWXT reaches milestone for occupational safety

15 August 2024 Mike Smith

Article presented by Classic brands…

(Piketon) – Department of Energy (DOE) Fluoro-BWXT contractors at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant recently achieved the milestone of eight million safe work hours without any recordable injuries, marking the first time this has been achieved in the site’s history.

“I am extremely proud of this team and their vigilance in ensuring that we all get home safely every day,” said President and CEO Greg Wilkett. “It’s not about the numbers, it’s not about celebrating, it’s 100% about keeping everyone here safe.”

To celebrate this success at the site, the company management invited the employees to a barbecue and over 1,500 employees put on safety vests and formed a “figure eight” to commemorate this milestone.

The site leadership, safety team and workforce focus on safety, creating a culture that has catapulted the site to the top of the safe workplace list throughout the DOE Environmental Management Complex.

“Everyone here works hard to make sure we do a good job at D&D,” he said. “But we had to change our mindset and not only do good work, but do good work safely.”

Twice a year, the site conducts a safety survey among all employees to collect suggestions for further improving workplace safety. The first survey was conducted in 2013 and showed a satisfaction rate of 38%. Today, employees at the site say safety is at 90%.

“It is a process of trust and an open-door mentality, which is about listening to the people on the front lines and taking what they say seriously,” said Wilkett. “We asked for results, communicated those results, and then asked for solutions and communicated where we implemented those solutions. As a result, we became one of the safest workplaces in the complex.”