Nuclear Safety Culture
The Meaning of a Strong Nuclear Safety Culture and You
You don’t have to be on the Vit Plant project for very long to realize that this job is special. The Vit Plant is huge, complex and highly regulated, for good reason. The waste that the Vit Plant will process is toxic and radioactive. Dealing with these dangerous materials demands the highest level of quality in engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning. The answer to this challenge is our nuclear safety and quality culture.
The discipline required to successfully execute this project is no less exacting than that required to build nuclear power plants. In some ways, our discipline must be even stronger, because the Vit Plant is the largest and most complex radioactive waste treatment facility in the world.
At the Vit Plant, we know that our nuclear safety and quality culture is critical to the success of our project. Culture is a set of beliefs that strongly influences our actions. Our culture here involves taking ownership and pride in our work, having questioning attitudes, continuous improvement and procedure compliance.
- A strong questioning attitude leads us to raise issues and make suggestions without fear of reprisal.
- We follow procedure. If it becomes unclear or impossible to follow a procedure as written, we resolve the issue before we continue the work.
- A strong safety culture directs our actions in our work performance and every physical action we take.
Each member of our team has the responsibility to question what doesn’t seem right, and raise issues that need resolution. We have a zero retaliation policy that ensures our team can report any issue without fear of reprisal or hostility.
Each of us plays a role, and each has an effect; we all need to take safety and quality personally. Taking responsibility for your actions means that you are proud to say “I did that calculation,” “I wrote that material requisition,” “I developed that purchase order,” “I inspected that shipment,” “I installed that component.” It means you are sure it was done right, every time.
Zero Accidents
Bechtel conducts all business with the greatest care for the environment and for the health and safety of its employees, partners, contractors, and customers, as well as the people in the communities where we work.
Our Philosophy
Bechtel is dedicated to the concept that all accidents are preventable. Accordingly, the company is committed to achieving and sustaining “Zero Accident Performance” through continuous improvement practices.
Our Objectives
- Strive to eliminate all injuries and illnesses.
- Promote environmental, safety, and health objectives as a constant value in designing, planning, training, and executing work.
- Spread ownership for environmental, safety, and health program effectiveness throughout the organization.
- Enhance employee awareness and involvement in our environmental, safety, and health program implementation.
- Increase employees’ consistent utilization of safe practices in their daily work activities.
- Optimize the use of continuous improvement practices as the basis for zero accident performance initiatives.
- Demonstrate to customers that Bechtel is dedicated to safety excellence.
Select subcontractors that are committed to zero accident performance.
The below graph demonstrates this commitment and reflects the combined safety performance for both Bechtel and its subcontractor team members. It is Bechtel’s expectation that all subcontractor’s will embrace and support the Bechtel Safety Culture.
The scope of the services provided by Bechtel National, Inc. and URS Corporation include the design, construction, and start up of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (Vit Plant).