CNS achieves 5 million safe hours
Five million hours. That’s a difficult-to-conceive amount of time. To put it in perspective, you would have to drive back and forth between Amarillo, Texas, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee more than 150,000 times to hit five million hours. Better pack some snacks for the road!
Consolidated Nuclear Security employees achieved the major safety performance milestone of five million hours without a lost-time injury earlier this year, capping off a streak that lasted nearly four months. This includes the performance of CNS workers and the subcontractors for which CNS directs day-to-day activities.
The last time CNS achieved five million hours was in April 2017. According to Environment, Safety, and Health senior directors Jimmy Rogers of Pantex and Jan West of Y-12, the recent accomplishment illustrates the sites’ latest safety strategies and dedication to ensuring workers return to their families safe.
“We’ve taken a boots-on-the-ground approach when it comes to strengthening our safety culture at both sites,” said Rogers. “Our workforce prides itself on keeping one another safe, so we decided to get our organizations across the enterprise directly involved.”
Organizations are capitalizing on the strategies that are working specifically for them through new safety sustainment plans, building on strong safety improvement numbers in 2021. Leadership across the enterprise is supporting efforts to sustain the actions and engrain them into the safety culture. Various incentives to support safety culture have been created, such as the Good Catch Award. Union leadership and safety representatives have also been key in driving improvements.
West shared that all personnel should be proud of this accomplishment, not just ES&H. Reducing lost-time injuries is good for the overall health of the organization, as well as builds confidence in personnel’s families that the safety of their loved ones is a top priority.
“The landscapes at Pantex and Y-12 are changing daily, and so it’s even more exciting to have this safety performance amidst all of the project work. Our workforce takes pride in having a safe environment,” West said. “Our organizations and workforce look out for each other. It takes raising your hand when something doesn’t look right. It’s not just lip service; it’s how we do business here.”