PADUCAH, Ky. – Workers performing the remediation, deactivation, and decommissioning at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site recently reached 2 million hours without a lost-time injury on the job.

   “DOE’s greatest satisfaction comes from sending workers home each day in the same condition as they arrived at the Paducah Site,” said Jennifer Woodard, Paducah Site lead for EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office.  

   In October 2014, Fluor Federal Services Paducah Deactivation Project (FPDP) assumed responsibilities as EM’s contractor to maintain the plant facilities while preparing them for future decontamination and decommissioning. Workers have completed several key projects, including: removing 100,000 gallons of PCB oil from 69 transformers, consolidating four electrical switchyards into one, and installing five natural-gas package boilers to replace the coal-fired steam plant. The project has also demolished several inactive facilities. 

   “Accomplishing 2 million safe work hours in less than two years requires a team’s attention to detail and commitment to the site’s Integrated Safety Management (ISM) system,” said Bob Nichols, FPDP director of operations.

   Those elements, along with employee communication and a recognition that each team member is equally responsible and empowered to take the actions necessary for safety, are critical components of ISM, he added. The ISM system is a five-step method for performing work safely. It calls for defining the work, identifying and analyzing hazards, developing and implementing hazard controls, performing the work within those controls, and providing feedback for continued improvement.

   “A safe workplace provides an environment for healthy workers whose jobs make a better life — not just to earn a living,” Nichols said. “It’s worth the time and investment to properly practice safety through the ISM system. An injury-free workplace increases productivity, morale, and our service to DOE-EM.”