EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has received acknowledgment from DOE’s Office of Environment, Health, Safety & Security that safety remains at the core of the contractor’s values.
Office of Environmental Management
October 17, 2023
minute read time
Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) employees attended the recent Voluntary Protection Program Participants' Association symposium in Orlando, Florida. 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).
AIKEN, S.C. – EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has received acknowledgment from DOE’s Office of Environment, Health, Safety & Security that safety remains at the core of the contractor’s values.
DOE accepted Savannah River Mission Completion’s (SRMC) application to be certified as a DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) participant. SRMC has been the liquid waste contractor for EM at SRS since February 2022.
SRMC is among 12 contractors across the DOE complex that the VPP recently recognized 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% 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 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.”
SRMC was one of six EM contractors that received the Legacy of Stars award, which is awarded to sites that would have achieved the Star of Excellence award for a fourth consecutive year. The Star of Excellence is awarded to sites that maintain an injury and illness rate at least 75% below the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average, meet annual VPP goals, actively mentor other companies and demonstrate strong community involvement.
VPP presented the following awards to EM contractors across the DOE complex:
The Superior Star recognizes a leader in safety and health performance that has achieved a consistently superior level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals, actively conducting outreach to others, and achieving an injury and illness rate significantly below the average of similar businesses and operations. The Superior Star was awarded to:
- Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration, Hanford Site
- Waste Treatment Completion Company, Hanford Site
The Star of Excellence: Through their full dedication and total commitment to the principles of VPP, recipients of the Star of Excellence have achieved an outstanding level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals, actively conducting outreach to others, and achieving an injury and illness rate significantly below the average of similar businesses and operations. The Star of Excellence went to:
- CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, West Valley Demonstration Project
- Battelle Savannah River Alliance, Savannah River National Laboratory
- Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Safeguards and Security, Hanford Site
- Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Volpentest HAMMER Federal Training Center, Hanford Site
- UCOR, Oak Ridge
- Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
The Legacy of Stars: Through their full dedication and total commitment to the principles of VPP, recipients of this award have continued to achieve an outstanding level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals. The Legacy of Stars was awarded to:
- Central Plateau Cleanup Company, Hanford Site
- Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Mission Support Contract, Hanford Site
- North Wind Dynamics, Portsmouth Site
- Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Savannah River Site
- Savannah River Mission Completion, Savannah River Site
- Washington River Protection Solutions, Hanford Site
To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environment Management, submit your e-mail address.