Pantex Blog
CNS Construction builds safety culture
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC Construction workers and subcontractors achieved a significant milestone by working more than four years at Pantex without a recordable injury as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Pantex Construction employees perform high-risk work every day and recently completed more than four years without a recordable injury as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Given the types of work performed by the group, this achievement is remarkable. This team is engaged in high-risk work every day — from elevated work, lifting and rigging, warehouse renovation, storage systems, and fiber optic backbone to replacing underground fire protection piping, installing security barriers, bay and cell upgrades and electrical system modifications.
“The success is facilitated by the oversight and daily construction safety inspections conducted by the Safety Department’s construction safety personnel and the daily work and safety focus of the Project Subcontract Technical Representatives and the Construction Management team,” said Jimmy Rogers, manager, Pantex Safety and Industrial Hygiene Department. “You can tell that everyone has really adopted the four core values of teamwork, respect, trust and integrity.”
With many programs in place to help ensure safety, the main reason for the four‑year success is the team’s safety culture. Journeyman electricians Jerry Moore and Victor Kaempfe agreed the achievement was a team effort made possible by a culture of safety.
“I think the key factor in staying safe is you have to want to be safe and work safe — it’s a safety culture,” Moore said.
Kaempfe added, “We help each other be safe. We start the day with the idea that we are all going to go home at the end of the day, and you can only achieve that with a strong safety culture.”
Without the work ethic, commitment and willingness to drive an overall shift to a nuclear safety culture and the five Daily Absolutes, the accomplishment might not have been achieved.
“Ian (Hughes) has been our mentor and our ‘lead-by-example’ person,” Beard said, referring to the CNS Construction Manager at Pantex. “He is a fun guy to work with, but when it comes to safety, he’s always serious.”
The team – West Texas Building Trades members, construction subcontractors and CNS staff – have adopted the traits of a nuclear safety culture, leading to a much safer work environment.
Sheet metal worker Clifford Branum said the emphasis on safety — the general safety meeting each morning, followed by a job‑specific safety inspection — is a change from other sites where he’s worked.
“We aren’t schedule driven; we are safety driven,” Branum said. “It’s nice to know there will be no kickback for saying something. If you see something that you think isn’t safe, you can say something, and the issue will be addressed.”
Hughes said each and every team member’s leadership and individual commitment has been instrumental in achieving a healthy nuclear safety culture in the Construction group.
“Of course, maintaining the health of the safety culture requires continuous focus and commitment by all, and this requires that the safety culture be incorporated into our DNA. It is imperative that in addition to the daily care and feeding of our culture, that we (that’s all of us) make every decision from the perspective of our five Absolutes,” he said.
Students visit Pantex through College Pre-hire Program
Twenty-three college students recently visited the Pantex Plant as part of the College Pre‑Hire Program. The site visit helps students learn more about the work performed at the Plant and helps them determine if they are a good fit to be future CNS employees. Successful candidates will receive job offers soon. Students who accept the offer receive tuition reimbursement, relocation expenses and a signing bonus.
The program has brought about 100 young engineers to Pantex over the last eight years, said Courtney Waddell, program coordinator. Waddell, who was hired through the program, said it has a 90-percent retention rate.
Twenty-three college students recently visited the Pantex Plant, as part of the College Pre-Hire Program.
CNS supports Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Fajita Festival
CNS Pantex was a proud sponsor of the Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival in downtown Amarillo, where locals enjoyed live music and an entire block of fajita tasting.
2016 CNS Pantex cook team at Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival in downtown Amarillo. (From left: Richard Sifuentez, Danny Brito, Stevie Sena, Joshua Gerken, Corey Strickland, John Herrera, Jesse Beyers and Kenny Steward.) Photo by John Ebling.
“I had a great time representing CNS and hanging out with old friends,” said Stevie Sena, Pantex quality operations. “It was work, but I got to visit with good people while handing out food.”
Pantex cook team volunteers spent the day making fresh pico de gallo and testing their grilling skills in hopes of creating the best fajitas on the block. Although the team didn’t place in this year’s competition, everyone enjoyed the experience.
“Even though the judges disagreed, I believe our fajitas were the best!” said Corey Strickland, Pantex deputy plant manager. “It was an honor to be part of the team and fun to be part of celebrating the Mexican-American culture.”
The fajita festival is just one of the many Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce events CNS participates in throughout the year.2016 CNS Pantex cook team at Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival in downtown Amarillo. (From left: Richard Sifuentez, Danny Brito, Stevie Sena, Joshua Gerken, Corey Strickland, John Herrera, Jesse Beyers and Kenny Steward.) Photo by John Ebling.
“I had a great time representing CNS and hanging out with old friends,” said Stevie Sena, Pantex quality operations. “It was work, but I got to visit with good people while handing out food.”
Pantex cook team volunteers spent the day making fresh pico de gallo and testing their grilling skills in hopes of creating the best fajitas on the block. Although the team didn’t place in this year’s competition, everyone enjoyed the experience.
“Even though the judges disagreed, I believe our fajitas were the best!” said Corey Strickland, Pantex deputy plant manager. “It was an honor to be part of the team and fun to be part of celebrating the Mexican-American culture.”
The fajita festival is just one of the many Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce events CNS participates in throughout the year.
Pantex Celebrates EMS Professionals Week
Firefighter/Paramedics Nikki Weiss, left, and Chard Zarback prepare to load equipment into one of two new ambulances recently acquired by the Pantex Plant.
All firefighters at Pantex are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians and many are Paramedics, qualified to perform advanced life support operations in the new ambulances. Pantex maintains fire and ambulance crews on standby 24 hours a day to respond to plant emergencies and to assist surrounding municipalities through mutual aid agreements.
This week is National Emergency Medical Services Professionals Week, which was started in 1974 by President Gerald Ford to recognize the service of EMS professionals to their communities. Pantex hosted a cookout Friday to honor Fire Department personnel in advance of EMS Professionals Week.
Earth Day, every day in many ways
Employees at both sites also donated gently used athletic shoes to the MORE Foundation Group to assist in fighting poverty, hunger and global warming. See more photos from Earth Day below.
An employee at Pantex donates used athletic shoes to the MORE Foundation Group as part of Earth Day observances on site.