On Saturday, Feb. 23, AREVA North America’s Richland Fuel Manufacturing Facility achieved 12 months without a lost-time accident. This milestone translates into more than 1.3 million working hours and demonstrates AREVA’s commitment to safety as its primary pillar of operational excellence.
“This accomplishment speaks to the values and work ethic of our employees, which has fostered a culture where safety is an integral part of our everyday activities,” said Paul Myers, senior vice president of the Front End Business Group in North America. “This achievement marks progress toward our goal for an accident-free work place.”
Richland Site Manager Dominique Grandemange and his staff personally thanked each employee arriving to work Feb. 25 for achieving this milestone.
“Excellence in industrial and nuclear safety is our number-one priority at the Richland site,” said Grandemange. “We reached this milestone as a result of employees taking ownership for their safety and the safety of their co-workers. Our Peer-to-Peer Observation Program is one practice that allows everyone to personally recognize excellent safety behaviors and prevent injuries before they happen.”
More than 700 employees work at AREVA’s Richland site, and safety is the first priority for all plant personnel. All AREVA employees are committed to continuously reducing risks and improving safety performance.
AREVA’s Richland facility provides nuclear fuel products and related components and services for commercial pressurized water reactor and boiling water reactor customers worldwide. Fuel produced in Richland accounts for five percent of the electricity generated in the United States. In 2009, the Richland site received the industry’s first 40-year site license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
