Aker Solutions earns top OSHA safety honor in US
Photo: www.akersolutions.com
Aker Construction Inc., part of Aker Solutions, has earned Star membership in the prestigious Voluntary Protection Programs of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Star certification relates to the site-based project Aker Construction Inc is delivering for Longview Power, LLC in Maidsville, West Virginia in the United States.
Aker Construction Inc. is the primary contractor for the 769-MW coal-fired power station being built for Longview Power, LLC, owned by GenPower Holdings, L.P. More than 60 percent of the work is now complete, and scheduled for operation in early 2011, it will be one of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the US.
The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promotes effective worksite-based safety and health, encouraging management, labor, and OSHA to establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system. Approval into VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. Star certification is the pinnacle classification for VPP participation.
“We are extremely proud of this accomplishment,” says Bruce Kingsbury, Aker Construction Inc.’s Vice President of HSE. “It signals our people’s belief in the highest priority for worker health and safety. Aker Construction Inc. is committed to maintaining this status by keeping average reportable incident rates below the national average and continuing to develop best practices and innovative safety procedures throughout the plant’s construction.”
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of the U.S.’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.
