– Edited By Tom Lamar –
B&W Pantex once again achieved a level of safe performance that ranks the company among the safety leaders in the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) complex for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Since arriving at Pantex Plant in February 2001, B&W Pantex has improved the Total Recordable Case Rate by 88 percent and the Lost Time Case Rate (also known as Day Away Case Rate) by 95 percent.
B&W Pantex is the contractor for the NNSA's Pantex facility. Pantex is the nation's only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility and is devoted to the maintenance and stewardship of the United States' nuclear deterrent.
B&W Pantex has made safe performance a primary focus and was able to exceed its performance targets in key areas while maintaining this exceptional safety record. An independent organization closely scrutinized the safety recordkeeping program and found it to be virtually flawless, thus validating the end-of-year numbers.
"We have faced several challenges this year, most notably torrential rains that caused up to 18-inches of flooding in some facilities. We had no injuries the night of the flood or during the recovery process. I believe our focus on safety keeps our people and our facilities safe," said John Woolery, B&W Pantex President and General Manager.
B&W Pantex's Safety and Health program is based on the Department of Energy's Integrated Safety Management (ISM) model and is enhanced with other programs to encourage employee engagement and hazard mitigation. Union and management personnel work in partnership to ensure that these safety programs are successfully implemented.
Woolery added, "By diligently pursuing safe work habits and providing a safe working environment, we have created an atmosphere that allows employees to confidently report safety issues while caring for themselves and their coworkers."
As a result of the plant's safety performance, B&W Pantex earned Star Status in the Department of Energy's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The Star can only be earned and maintained through employee involvement and management's commitment to safety.
"It takes several years to apply and be named a Star site," Woolery said. "Our goal now is to maintain our VPP status, which can only be done if the company is committed to the program. We will continue to focus on safety for employees; we will provide a safe work environment; and we will provide training so our employees know how to safely perform their jobs."
Additionally, B&W Pantex, in conjunction with the NNSA's Pantex Site Office, strengthened its commitment to the Pantex High Reliability Organization (HRO) framework and is quickly becoming the acknowledged leader in the field. During the past year, B&W Pantex provided a subject matter expert to testify before the National Transportation Board in a hearing concerning the subway accident in Washington, D.C., Statoil, an international energy company; and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory including the NNSA Livermore Site Office.
During FY10, B&W Pantex received 11 awards from the National Safety Council for outstanding safety performance while working more than four million hours without incurring a lost time injuries.