SRF-JRMC Establishes Safety-Environmental Department
By William Ingersoll, SRF-JRMC OSHE Department


SRF-JRMC Commanding Officer Capt. Steven Stancy delivers his remarks during the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) kick-off ceremony.
Photo by Keiichi Adachi
来賓が見守る中、VPPの導入宣言式でSRF-JRMC司令官スティーブン・スタンシー大佐は宣言のスピーチを行なう。
写真：安達慶一


Members of the SRF-JRMC Environmental Office perform an Environmental Quality Sampling Workshop at CFAY Berth Zero (Pontoon No. 1).
Photo by Keiichi Adachi
 バースゼロで試料採取の知識や技術を再確認する環境室の従業員。
写真：安達慶一


Safety trainers of the Safety Office challenge apprentices with practical exercises in the use of harnesses during fall protection training.
Photo by Keiichi Adachi
安全室のトレーナーが訓練生に落下防止安全ハーネスの装着方法の実地訓練を行なう。
写真：安達慶一


To test the atmosphere in a confined space, a gas free engineering technician first lowers an air sampling hose connected to an air monitoring instrument into the space to perform a “drop test.”
Photo courtesy of the Gas Free Engineer Division
技術者は空気のサンプルを採るため、ガス検知器に接続されたホースをタンクに降ろす、これは「ドロップテスト」と呼ばれている。写真提供：
ガス検知課
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U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRFJRMC) has merged its Safety Office (Code 120) and its Environmental Office (Code 140) to create the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) Department (Code 106).

During the SRF-JRMC 2009 Fleet Maintenance Activity Assessment (FMAA), the audit team identified integration of Code 120 and Code 140 as an opportunity for greater efficiency and improvement because these two codes overlapped in many areas. The codes were formerly separate organizations that operated independently under the SRF-JRMC organizational structure. Naval shipyards and Navy Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs) have successfully integrated safety, health and environmental programs into a single organization and found it to be an effective and efficient use of resources.

The former organizational structure created duplication of efforts and overlap in safety and environmental program activities including workplace surveillances, hazardous material and hazardous waste management oversight, emergency response planning and job process development. The FMAA Audit Team recommended integrating Code 120 and Code140 to leverage the benefits of the naval shipyard and RMC model.

The change provides the framework for a unified approach for addressing safety, health and environmental issues; achieving continual improvement in workforce protection and stewardship of the environment; resource-sharing; and creating a comprehensive emergency response system for SRF-JRMC. The integration of safety, health and environmental programs also promotes good communication and sharing of best practices between these similar organizations.

A goal of the 2010 SRF-JRMC Strategic Plan is the implementation of the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The new Code 106 teamed up with the SRF VPP Promotion Office to spearhead the commandwide initiative to achieve VPP Star Status by December 2011.

The commanding officer’s Safety and Occupational Health Policy of June 19, 2009, communicates the commitment, leadership and vision needed to achieve such an aggressive goal. The SRF-JRMC motto “Nan Demo Dekimasu – Anzen Daiichi (We Can Do Anything – Safely)” sums up the VPP implementation approach to improve safety and health at SRF-JRMC while we “Keep the 7th Fleet Operationally Ready.”

VPP is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program for establishing, implementing, and sustaining a premier safety and health management system (VPP Star Status) and comply with the requirements of the OSHA standards.

VPP promotes:

(1) management leadership and employee involvement;
 
(2) worksite analysis of hazards;

(3) hazards prevention and control; and

(4) safety and health training.

Safety is a part of everything we do at SRF-JRMC and safety is everyone’s responsibility. Supervisors commit to operate an effective program that meets the established safety and health standards while employees commit to participate in the VPP and work with supervisors to ensure a safe and healthful workplace.

An important activity of VPP is Job Hazard Analysis that is conducted to identify and mitigate all job process hazards. The VPP Safety Committee communicates safety and health issues and goals to all employees. Safety self-inspections by shop, code and office employees promote ownership of safety at the deck plate level.

Another important activity is near-miss reporting, and VPP creates the mechanism for effective tracking of near-misses to proactively prevent accidents that may cause injuries or illnesses. These are just a few of the VPP activities that employees participate in to complete the VPP Passport to injury prevention.

VPP goes beyond basic safety awareness to safety involvement in everything we do.

At SRF-JRMC: “Safety is our #1 Job!”