Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers

Contract workers at the plant share the passion for industrial safety with the employees

- Edited By Tom Lamar -

The numbers are impressive and award winning. But, it's the teamwork and the dedication to safety that are the real story.

The Shaw Group's Maintenance Division honored project sites for their 2009 safety performance. The company presented the division's top honor, the President's Safety Award, to the team at Entergy's Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station for demonstrating outstanding commitment to safety.

The dedication to the safety of site personnel demonstrated by Entergy employees and Shaw workers guides everything at Waterford including protection of the community. That protection includes a deep respect for the well-being of customers and understanding the vital role reliable electric power plays in the community.

In 2009, the Shaw team at Waterford completed more than 520,000 hours of work with no recordable event as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. No recordable event means that the team worked many labor-intensive hours and did not suffer anything that required more than minor first aid.

They also achieved more than one million safe work hours in 2010, with the last OSHA recordable in March 2007. This safety milestone included staffing for 127 plant outage days when there is the most intense activity. Nuclear plants run continuously until they need to add new fuel. During these outages, there is increased activity to shorten the time offline.

This outstanding performance won the group the Doug Crisp Safety Award which led to the President's Safety Award.

Shaw's relationship with Entergy and Waterford is a key factor in the safety success at the site. As part of the maintenance agreement with Entergy, Shaw can assign one full-time safety professional and one full-time craft safety representative for work at Waterford 3. In turn, Entergy actively supports on-site training, proactive safety observations, safety committees and safety campaigns. This level of mutual support has helped Shaw achieve noteworthy safety performance, recognized by the maintenance division for excellence in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

It also means Waterford 3 places a high priority on the safety of the people responsible for providing reliable and clean electricity to the communities that depend on it.

 "Our team's dedication to maintaining safe work environments is truly impressive, especially given the nature of outage work when our management teams bring in hundreds of craft employees, many new to nuclear work," said Ron McCall, president of Shaw's Maintenance Division. "We are fortunate to work with a team and a client that places such great importance on safety. They understand that our people are our best asset, and we want all employees to return home safely each work day."

The relationship between the contractor and the site is highlighted by a demonstrated willingness by Shaw employees to interact and coach Entergy employees, even senior management on safety.

"Everyone needs coaching from time to time," said Joe Kowalewski, site vice president. "We all should freely give and receive it. That is the one way we know that safety is first in everyone's heart and mind."

"It's the shared commitment to safety that goes beyond numbers and hours worked," added Kowalewski. "Safety at Entergy and with the Shaw team at Waterford 3 means a real concern for the wellbeing of the individual and that includes the customers."

McCall presented the Maintenance Division President's Safety Award at a recognition dinner in Baton Rouge, La. Shaw leaders presented the award to the site contract employees at a special gathering at Waterford 3 where members of Entergy's site leadership team joined them.