Detroit Edison Plant Wins Michigan VPP Award
"We are proud to welcome Detroit Edison's River Rouge Power Plant into this exceptional group of Michigan MVPP companies," said DELEG Director Stanley Pruss. "Your dedication to employee safety and health excellence sends a strong message to all employers that worker protection is a sound business decision."
Detroit Edison's River Rouge Power Plant received the Rising Star Award for workplace safety and health excellence from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) on Wednesday, with the Stanley Pruss, director of MIOSHA's parent agency, on hand to congratulate managers and workers. MIOSHA is part of the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth. "We are proud to welcome Detroit Edison's River Rouge Power Plant into this exceptional group of Michigan MVPP companies," said Pruss, the DELEG director. "Your dedication to employee safety and health excellence sends a strong message to all employers that worker protection is a sound business decision."
The Michigan Voluntary Protection Program Rising Star Award is given to companies that have an outstanding safety and health management system in place and hope to achieve the highest level, the Michigan Star Award. MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski presented the Rising Star Award to Lynette Dowler, Central Area director, Detroit Edison Fossil Generation Group; Brian Rice, River Rouge Plant manager; and Jason Cousino, River Rouge UWUA Local 223 field safety specialist. "The employees at River Rouge Power Plant have worked very hard for a number of years to develop an expectation that we will be safe in our daily operation," said Rice. "We appreciate this recognition and will continue to work in the spirit of continuous improvement to achieve a world-class safety culture, because that means we all go home to our families and loved ones every day safe and well."
According to MIOSHA, the River Rouge Power Plant's rates are below the Michigan industry average for its NAICS code 221112 - Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation. Its total case incidence rate was 1.6 in 2008, 3.2 in 2007, and 2.1 in 2006, compared to the Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average of 3.4 in 2008 and 2007 and 3.9 in 2006. The total days away/restricted/transfer cases (DART) rate was 0.0 in 2008, 0.5 in 2007, and 1.6 in 2006, compared to the BLS industry average of 1.9 in 2008 and 2007 and 2.2 in 2006. "Not only does the MVPP program significantly reduce injuries and illnesses; it also has a tremendous impact on the bottom line," Kalinowski said.
The plant has 155 employees, many of whom are represented by Local 223, Utility Workers Union of America.