A case study that describes how the Washington Group International incorporated its design for safety process into the construction of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility in eastern
"I am extremely proud of the work between OSHA and the Washington Group on this project," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "The alliance program works to help employers and employees prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace. As a result of the Washington Group's efforts, the positive impact on the safety and health of the project's employees and on its bottom-line costs was significant, including 3.3 million hours without a lost time injury or one day away from work."
Washington Group president and CEO Stephen Hanks said that integrating safety into all phases of a project is the moral obligation of every Washington Group employee. "Management and all employees should approach every project with the expectation of a perfect safety record."
In 1997, British Nuclear Fuels Limited awarded the Washington Group a $300 million contract to engineer, procure and construct a nuclear-waste treatment facility-the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility-to process nearly 65,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste stored at the Energy Department's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
"The Washington Group has committed to sharing the safety programs and practices it used during the project with small construction contractors in an effort to help the entire construction industry improve its overall safety," said Brad Giles, vice president of safety, health and security for Washington Group International. "The company's senior managers believe that, without exception, design for safety measures taken to protect employees resulted in the elimination of personal injury, lost time and equipment damage, which in turn, results in reduced insurance premiums, medical costs and impacts to project schedules."
OSHA worked with Washington Group International through the alliance program's Construction Roundtable Design for Safety Workgroup. The alliance between OSHA and Washington Group International was signed in 2002, renewed in 2003 and again in 2006.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
