Tooele Transcript Bulletin
May 1, 2003

Burner initiates new worker safety program

by Andrew Weeks
Staff Writer

In an effort to enhance worker safety, EG&G has created the Excellence in Safety Merit Awards Program for its employees as well as those at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (TOCDF). The awards program is designed to reward behaviors and encourage employees to take a more active approach to ensuring worker safety, such as participating in safety meetings and making safety recommendations to supervisors.

The Excellence in Safety Merit Awards Program, which was initiated by employees, replaces a former awards program that, according to EG&G spokesman Mark Mesesan, was not as proactive as the new program.

"This is by far the best safety program yet," he said.

The program emphasizes that a safe work environment is the responsibility of each worker, and employees must take action to enhance his or her own safety in order to be eligible for an award.

In all there are six components to the awards program, two of which are the Individual Excellence Program and the Group/Department Excellence Awards. The individual program is point-based and allows for all employees, if they meet certain criteria, to become eligible for an award. Awards are given on a semi-annual basis, and the dollar amount varies.

The group/department awards program is similar to the individual program, meaning that certain criteria is to be met over a period of time by each member of the department. If any member of a department fails to meet the criteria, the whole group fails to become eligible for an award. The group/department awards are also given twice a year.

However, since the program was initiated in mid-February, EG&G and TOCDF workers seem to be excited about what the program offers. In a mere six weeks, time, 34 groups out of 51 became eligible for gift certificates at a local department store. The certificates ranged in value from $12.50 to $50.

Mesesan said with eight to 10 people per group, it's an impressive accomplishment that so many departments obtained eligibility status. He said workers seem to be excited about the new awards program, and that's a good thing.

"We want to raise the level of awareness and encourage workers to participate," he said. "Anything we can do to encourage employees, we'll do ... Work accidents are costly in both time and money."

The awards program is overseen by a safety committee. Committee coordinator Bill Bacon, and chairman Todd Loveday explained that not only do employees get awarded for activities at work, such as identifying where safety improvements can be made, but that they can also be awarded for participating in safety activities outside the workplace. Activities could be, for instance, volunteering at a high school or teaching a group about safety awareness.

Workers can also be awarded for helping someone involved in a health- or life-threatening situation, such as providing CPR or administering to someone involved in an automobile accident.

Bacon agreed with Mesesan that the new awards program "is the best one so far" and that it will likely go a long way to encourage added safety awareness at TOCDF.

Mesesan, however, said that worker safety has always been a top priority with EG&G and the incinerator. Of course there've been incidents for concern, he explained, but nothing too strenuous in the almost-seven years since the plant's been opened. He said last year when a worker was exposed to nerve agents was perhaps the worst incident in recent years.

Owned by the Army, TOCDF begun operations in August 1996; EG&G was the main contractor at that time and still maintains and operates the facility today.
Mesesan said he hopes the new awards program will inspire "everyone to be aware and alert at all times" so that potential injuries will be avoided in the future.