BOSTON, January 26, 2017 – The Kentucky Labor Cabinet has recertified Veolia’s Star status under the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) at the company’s Fort Knox, Kentucky site. The wastewater treatment facility at the military base is owned by Hardin County Water District No. 1 and operated by Veolia Water North America - South, LLC (Veolia).
The VPP, administered through the Commonwealth’s Occupational Safety and Health Program, recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who have implemented highly-effective safety and health management systems and have maintained injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.
In the Voluntary Protection Program, management and labor work cooperatively and proactively to prevent injuries and illnesses through a system focused on: hazard prevention and control; worksite analysis; training; and management commitment and employee involvement. The award represents the highest safety honor issued by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet.
VPP sets stringent performance-based criteria; the Kentucky Labor Cabinet then assesses applicants against the established criteria and a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health experts.
“This certification is a testament to our company’s firm commitment to safety and the direct result of the hard work of dedicated employees who identify and correct potential hazards before they have a chance to cause injuries,” said Kevin Biernacki, Vice President, Municipal & Commercial EH&S, Veolia North America.
Approval into VPP is official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. Veolia first earned Star status at Fort Knox in 2012, and due to rigorous safety programs across the company, has earned Star status at thirteen (13) separate Municipal & Commercial and Industrial project sites.
“This award is an outward sign of the pledge the company makes to its clients and that the Fort Knox team makes to each other in the facility every day,” said James Walker, Project Manager, Fort Knox, KY. “We want everybody to return home to family and friends safely at the end of every shift and will continue working toward Goal Zero.”
Veolia has provided services to Fort Knox since 2005. Under an innovative approach, Veolia North America teamed up with Hardin County Water District No. 1 to provide services to Fort Knox and enable a public-private partnership. As part of its 20-year agreement with the district, Veolia serves as the operations, maintenance and management partner for the wastewater treatment and sanitary and stormwater systems at Fort Knox.
In addition to the prestigious VPP award from the Kentucky Department of Labor, Veolia’s operation at Fort Knox is receiving industry recognition from the Kentucky/Tennessee Section of the Water Environment Association. The section presented Veolia and the Hardin County Water District No. 1 with the 2015 Operational Excellence Award.
This award is presented to publicly owned and industrial wastewater treatment facilities who have achieved permit compliance during the previous year. This is the eighth consecutive year the facility has received this award.
Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 174,000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them. In 2014, the group Veolia supplied 96 million people with drinking water and 60 million people with wastewater service, produced 52 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 31 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of $27.2 billion in 2015. www.veolia.com
Contacts
Paul Whitmore
tel.: +1 317 917 3724
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Karole Colangelo
tel.: +1 630 218 1865
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