North Wind Dynamics, LLC at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Certified as “Star” Participant in DOE Voluntary Protection Program

The U.S. Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program (DOE-VPP) Team from the Office of Worker Safety and Health Assistance (EHSS-12) recently completed a review of North Wind Dynamics, LLC's (NWD) operations at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. After a 2-week onsite assessment by the DOE-VPP team, Mr. Todd Lapointe, Director of the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security, certified NWD as a conditional "Star" participant. Various operators of the Portland Gaseous Diffusion Plant, starting with Theta Pro2Serve Management Company, LLC, have participated in the DOE-VPP since 2009. NWD assumed responsibility for the site in 2022. NWD most recently received a Star of Excellence award in 2024 for outstanding injury prevention, outreach, and mentoring. In 2023, NWD was awarded a Legacy of Stars award in lieu of four consecutive Legacy of Stars awards.

The DOE-VPP recognizes contractor participants for going above and beyond the basic requirements of DOE safety and health regulations, Orders, and Standards and promotes excellence in contractor safety and health programs. DOE-VPP encourages participants to seek continuous improvement in safety and health through cooperative efforts by managers, employees, bargaining units, and DOE.

A review of the last 3 years of Total Recordable Cases (TRC) and Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) cases revealed that NWD maintained rates well below the industry average for its North American Industry Classification System code as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, NWD has not reported any recordable injuries or illnesses or had any DART cases in the past 3 years.

During the course of the assessment, NWD leaders demonstrated commitment to safe operations through regular presence in work areas and in dedicated meetings, milestone celebrations, and listening sessions. The DOE-VPP Team observed multiple instances of NWD management seeking employee involvement and creating opportunities to foster engagement. Employees of NWD likewise commit to engagement with leaders to take an active role ensuring a safe work environment for themselves and their teammates. NWD safety professionals and United Steelworkers representatives are enthusiastic about safety - even though they face challenges from employee turnover and funding limitations. Leaders, safety professionals, and workers have collaborated to implement a variety of safety improvements for workers using the hierarchy of controls.

The Team consisted of Mr. Robert "Bob" Meloche, who served as team leader for this assessment, Mr. Wallace "Gator" Czapla, Mr. Moises Atiles, and Mr. Matthew Ramsey.

More information on the DOE-VPP can be found here or you can contact the team at [email protected].