The following is the text of a news release from the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA):
(WASHINGTON) — The Shipbuilders Council of America has announced a new partnership with the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a part of the Department of Labor (DOL), focused on continuing the industry-leading employee safety practices in U.S. shipyards.
The Alliance Program will develop training and best practices to promote safety and health in the shipbuilding and repair industry, including preventing worker exposure to electrical, ergonomic, struck-by and slip, trip and fall hazards. Additionally, the Alliance Program will support OSHA's prevention of falls campaign.
"Safety of our employees has always been and will continue to be our top priority," said Tom Godfrey, SCA chairman and chief executive officer of Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va. "Our industry's culture of safety is reflected in our excellent safety record which consistently exceeds the government standard set for all industries."
"I'm very proud to renew our partnership with OSHA," said Matthew Paxton, president of SCA. "The proactive approaches and dedication to improved health and safety of our shipyard employees demonstrates our members' long-standing commitment to the safety of shipyard employees. This alliance between industry and government will enable further dialogue on more opportunities to advance employee safety in the future."
SCA presents safety awards annually to its member companies who demonstrate excellence and improvement in their total recordable incident rates (TRIR). Award recipients will be announced during SCA's annual General Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C., on April 14.
To read the OSHA news release about the Alliance Program, click here.
