AIKEN, S.C. (October 23, 2023) — Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) has received acknowledgment from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety & Security that safety remains at the core of the contractor’s values.
Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) employees attended the 2023 Voluntary Protection Program Participant’s Association symposium in Orlando. From left, Lohman Hafenrichter, Chris Kisner, Jasmine Allen, Lorenzo Rouse, Nikki Alston, Rachel Hafenrichter, Ronald Robinson, Justin Burns, and Mark Schweder (not pictured: William Seagroves).
DOE accepted the company’s application to be certified as a DOE Voluntary Protection Program (DOE-VPP) participant. SRMC has been the liquid waste contractor for DOE at the Savannah River Site (SRS) since February 2022.
DOE-VPP recognizes DOE contractor participants for going above and beyond the basic requirements of its safety and health regulations, orders, and standards. Contractors are eligible to be VPP participants if they meet specific safety-related criteria, such as injury rates meeting the DOE standard of 50 percent below industry average and performing mentoring and outreach activities. Participants also exemplify the five VPP elements: management leadership, employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.
SRMC President and Program Manager Dave Olson said that he is proud of SRMC’s effort to become VPP certified, as the application development was a dedication of more than 17 SRMC team members working together across multiple disciplines.
“At Savannah River Mission Completion, safety is not just a priority – it’s our top core value,” Olson said. “Priorities may change based on business needs, but values never change. That means we understand the effort it takes to keep safety at the forefront of all we do. We will continue to be intentional in our safety programs and represent the elements of the Voluntary Protection Program well.”
Additionally, SRMC received the Legacy of Stars, which is awarded to sites that would have achieved the “Star of Excellence” for a fourth consecutive year.
The Star of Excellence is awarded to sites that maintain an injury/illness rate at least 75 percent below the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) industry average, meet annual VPP goals, actively mentor other companies, and demonstrate strong community involvement.
Several members of the SRMC VPP team attended the recent 2023 VPPPA Safety+ Symposium in Orlando to interact with and learn from other VPP sites, safety professionals, industry leaders, and federal agencies.
The next phase in the process is for DOE-VPP to complete an on-site review to officially assess SRMC against the VPP elements, with the goal of being awarded STAR status. The on-site review is slated for 2025.
SRMC comprises parent company BWX Technologies, Inc. with partners Amentum and Fluor. Its team brings the capabilities necessary to accelerate cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site through safe nuclear operations, optimized and integrated mission execution, and strong corporate governance.
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