Voluntary Protection Program Honors Hanford Contractor With Superior Star Award

Pictured from left: Rick Ennis, Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council safety representative; Garrett Knutson, Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration (HLMI) Environmental Health & Safety manager; Kristine Bowen, HLMI Voluntary Protection Program coordinator; and Ron Tucker, HLMI facility operations manager.

"The Superior Star award is the result of a commitment to safety by the employees and management of HLMI," said Kristine Bowen, HLMI VPP coordinator. "Management, leadership and employee involvement in everything from work planning, hazard evaluations and assessments to suggesting improvements demonstrates the principles of VPP."

The VPP Superior Star is awarded to companies that consistently meet safety and health goals and achieve illness and injury rates better than 50% below the industry average. HLMI received the award at the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association Safety + Symposium.

"Earning the VPP Silver Star is the first step toward improving our safety performance in the coming years," said Garrett Knutson, Environmental Health & Safety manager with HLMI.

Working through cooperative efforts among labor, management, and government at DOE contractor sites, DOE's VPP promotes improved safety and health performance through public recognition of outstanding programs.