NSWC Indian Head Celebrates Two Million Safe Work Hours

From Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division Public Affairs

INDIAN HEAD, Md. (NNS) -- Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Indian Head Division in Indian Head, Md., achieved a safety milestone the week of July 5.

NSWC Indian Head recorded two million safe work hours to meet the milestone.

Capt. Andy Buduo, NSWC Indian Head commander, credits NSWC Indian Head's crew for its commitment to upholding a safety climate at work.

"It's not enough to be an energetics leader for Department of Defense (DoD), we also have to be committed to being safe energetics leaders," said Buduo.

Jim Brice, NAVSEA assistant deputy commander for maintenance, modernization, environment and safety, visited NSWC Indian Head days before the record was reached. Brice and Buduo discussed the important milestone and ways to keep the safety momentum going.

"We're pleased to have reached the two million hour point, but that was never the goal," said Ray Geckle, NSWC Indian Head safety director. "We don't focus on a specific number of safe hours, instead we want every hour spent working with energetics to be done safely."

In April 2010, NSWC Indian Head's Earle Detachment was honored by the state of New Jersey for its safety record of more than 5.9 years without a lost-time injury. On average, the Navy records 1.5 lost-time work related injuries each year for every 100 full-time employees.

NSWC Indian Head employs more than 1,300 men and women at its main location in Indian Head, Md., and has detachments located in Yorktown, Va., McAlester, Okla., as well as the location in Earle, N.J.

NSWC Indian Head is recognized as the nation's premier resource for energetics technology, development and innovation. Seventy-five percent of all explosives deployed in U.S. weapons since 1985 have been developed by NSWC Indian Head.