Fleet Readiness Center East Safety Program Evaluation and Review

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Fleet Readiness Center East Safety Program Evaluation and Review

Ben Barksdale

Developing an Effective Safety Culture

Professor Bill Turnbull

11/03/2008

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Abstract

        The safety policy at the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East), Cherry Point has evolved over the past few years.  While there is a sound safety policy in place there is room for improvement in regards to improved focus on the safety behavior of management and employees.  With the implementation of the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) the facility has made marked improvements on lost work days and an overall acknowledgment that safety must be an attitude that is encouraged with positive reinforcement instead of negative discipline.  In this paper the safety policy in place at FRC East will be discussed.  The strives that have been taken to reduce lost work days due to on the job injuries as well as the implementation of VPP and the incentive programs FRC East has put in place to encourage safety will also be focused on in this paper along with recommendations for improvements and best practices at FRC East and other facilities.

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Fleet Readiness Center East Safety Policy

        The Safety Policy at the Fleet Readiness Center East in Cherry Point North Carolina’s most recent version was sent out to all employees on June 26, 2007.  By direction of the Commanding Officer of the depot it stresses that safety and health of our employees is a value and shall be planned, resourced and provided for in all facilities and operations at all times.  It also stresses that a successful safety and health program is an inherent responsibility of management putting more emphasis on line managers being primarily responsible for their areas of responsibility.  FRC East is also required to be in full compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and standards of the Navy and Department of Labor.  The policy ends with a tremendous focus on education of employees in occupational health and safety by promoting active participation in the program, compliance and adequate hazard recognitions and control.

Evaluation of the Safety Program

        As stated in the textbook, Developing an Effective Safety Culture, the definition of a good management system is to increase efficiency, improve productivity, moral and quality of products and reduce the potential for regulatory citations (Mercurio & Roughton, 2002 p.3). There can absolutely be no successful management system without a successful safety program in tact.  The Safety Program at FRC East has evolved over the past few years.  Just this year alone, the 2008 Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 goals at FRC East are to achieve a 25% reduction in lost workdays by September 30, 2008 by using September 30, 2007 as the baseline and to successfully implement the Voluntary Protection Program by September

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30, 2008.  The trend for lost workdays has continued to decline throughout the year.  The Voluntary Protection Program was introduced at FRC East in 2006.  The program has been widely received throughout the facility.  Management has taken an active role in launching of the program.  So much so that supervisors and employees alike have aligned their personnel objectives and goals with a portion of it being totally related to safety and fully supporting all safety policies and procedures.  

        Mandatory annual and quarterly training is enforced to ensure that employees are kept current on proper ways to handle equipment and use their personal protective equipment (PPE).  Management with the assistance of Safety Specialists at the depot enforces the safety policy through consistent reinforcement of wearing the appropriate PPE at all times in hazardous areas of the facility. Regular inspections are performed by Safety Specialists as well as employees in shop areas that are apart of shop level Safety Teams.

        Management on all levels is required to address safety in all areas of their area of responsibility and throughout the facility as a whole.  Once a quarter each division at FRC East is required to address and discuss safety at their Management Review meetings.  The required attendees for these meetings are management and representation from all areas in the depot which includes a union representative.  This ensures that the safety effort is clearly understood by every member of the facility across the board.

Recommendations and Best Practices

        FRC East has demonstrated a focus on safety and has made great strides in improving lost workdays while also implementing the Voluntary Protection Program.  It is important to note that FRC East has also begun to implement positive incentive programs to promote safety.  

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        According to Matthews and McSween (2008) it is imperative that companies get away from negative discipline and constant reminders as a way to improve compliance.  Statistics have shown that companies that embrace a more positive incentive program that promotes employees personal concern for safety is far more effective.