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Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Construction Site Receives Department of Energy Safety Award

DOE Office of River Protection
DOE Office of River Protection

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site for its \ excellent safety performance with the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Superior Star award. Also known as the Vit Plant, it is the only Hanford project to receive the award this year.

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NEWS Bechtel National, Inc. 2435 Stevens Center Place Richland, WA 99354 September 22, 2011 Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site receives Department of Energy safety award MEDIA CONTACTS: Suzanne Heaston, Bechtel National, Inc., (509) 371-2329 Richland, Wash. -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site for its excellent safety performance with the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Superior Star award. Also known as the Vit Plant, it is the only Hanford project to receive the award this year. The VPP Superior Star award recognizes the employees at our construction site for their commitment to working safely and watching out for each other, Ty Troutman, Vit Plant manager of construction, said. That commitment is demonstrated every day through their safety performance and active engagement in our safety programs. Each year, DOE recognizes select VPP sites with one of two awards: the Star of Excellence and the more elite Superior Star. To earn the Superior Star award, sites must report injury/illness incidence rates and lost workday injury/illness rates well below the Bureau of Labor Statistics national average. Sites must also meet annual DOE VPP goals and demonstrate strong involvement in the VPP Participants Association (VPPPA) and in VPP mentoring and outreach. Vit Plant representatives recently received the Superior Star award at the VPPPA national conference in New Orleans, La. We have more than 1,800 people working on four complex nuclear facilities on a 65-acre construction site; a strong safety culture is absolutely essential, Frank Russo, Vit Plant project director, said. I am extremely proud of our employees for building and maintaining that culture that has allowed us to reach important safety milestones and to be recognized by DOE with this award. DOE initiated the VPP in January 1994 to promote improved safety and health performance through public recognition of outstanding voluntary safety programs. Similar to the Occupational Health & Safety Administrations VPP program, DOEs program provides several proven benefits to participating sites, including improved labor/management relations, reduced workplace injuries and illnesses, increased employee involvement, improved morale and public recognition. The Vit Plant construction site initially earned Star status in July 2010. (continued)
NEWS Bechtel National, Inc. 2435 Stevens Center Place Richland, WA 99354 Bechtel National, Inc. is designing and building the worlds largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. The $12.2 billion Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will immobilize the radioactive liquid waste currently stored in 177 underground tanks using a process called vitrification. Vitrification involves blending the waste with molten glass and heating it to high temperatures. The mixture is then poured into stainless steel canisters. In this glass form, the waste is stable and impervious to the environment, and its radioactivity will dissipate over hundreds to thousands of years. The Vit Plant will cover 65 acres with four nuclear facilities -- Pretreatment, Low-Activity Waste Vitrification, High-Level Waste Vitrification and Analytical Laboratory -- as well as operations and maintenance buildings, utilities and office space. Construction of the Vit Plant began in 2001 and is now more than 60 percent complete. The project is scheduled to complete construction in 2016; will reach commissioning in 2019 and achieve full operations in 2022. NR11-17 ###

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Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Construction Site Receives Department of Energy Safety Award

  • 1. NEWS Bechtel National, Inc. 2435 Stevens Center Place Richland, WA 99354 September 22, 2011 Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site receives Department of Energy safety award MEDIA CONTACTS: Suzanne Heaston, Bechtel National, Inc., (509) 371-2329 Richland, Wash. -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site for its excellent safety performance with the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Superior Star award. Also known as the Vit Plant, it is the only Hanford project to receive the award this year. The VPP Superior Star award recognizes the employees at our construction site for their commitment to working safely and watching out for each other, Ty Troutman, Vit Plant manager of construction, said. That commitment is demonstrated every day through their safety performance and active engagement in our safety programs. Each year, DOE recognizes select VPP sites with one of two awards: the Star of Excellence and the more elite Superior Star. To earn the Superior Star award, sites must report injury/illness incidence rates and lost workday injury/illness rates well below the Bureau of Labor Statistics national average. Sites must also meet annual DOE VPP goals and demonstrate strong involvement in the VPP Participants Association (VPPPA) and in VPP mentoring and outreach. Vit Plant representatives recently received the Superior Star award at the VPPPA national conference in New Orleans, La. We have more than 1,800 people working on four complex nuclear facilities on a 65-acre construction site; a strong safety culture is absolutely essential, Frank Russo, Vit Plant project director, said. I am extremely proud of our employees for building and maintaining that culture that has allowed us to reach important safety milestones and to be recognized by DOE with this award. DOE initiated the VPP in January 1994 to promote improved safety and health performance through public recognition of outstanding voluntary safety programs. Similar to the Occupational Health & Safety Administrations VPP program, DOEs program provides several proven benefits to participating sites, including improved labor/management relations, reduced workplace injuries and illnesses, increased employee involvement, improved morale and public recognition. The Vit Plant construction site initially earned Star status in July 2010. (continued)
  • 2. NEWS Bechtel National, Inc. 2435 Stevens Center Place Richland, WA 99354 Bechtel National, Inc. is designing and building the worlds largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. The $12.2 billion Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will immobilize the radioactive liquid waste currently stored in 177 underground tanks using a process called vitrification. Vitrification involves blending the waste with molten glass and heating it to high temperatures. The mixture is then poured into stainless steel canisters. In this glass form, the waste is stable and impervious to the environment, and its radioactivity will dissipate over hundreds to thousands of years. The Vit Plant will cover 65 acres with four nuclear facilities -- Pretreatment, Low-Activity Waste Vitrification, High-Level Waste Vitrification and Analytical Laboratory -- as well as operations and maintenance buildings, utilities and office space. Construction of the Vit Plant began in 2001 and is now more than 60 percent complete. The project is scheduled to complete construction in 2016; will reach commissioning in 2019 and achieve full operations in 2022. NR11-17 ###