NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 7, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received the U.S. government's highest rating for excellence in workplace health and safety.
The company's Newport News sector achieved the prestigious Star rating for the third consecutive time from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program.
"Safety is a way of life for all of our employees," said James R. Thornton, director of environmental health and safety at Northrop Grumman Newport News. "The Star rating is an achievement to be proud of and is the result of tremendous teamwork throughout the entire sector."
The Star is given only to those companies with comprehensive, successful safety and health programs that are committed to employee protection beyond the requirements of OSHA's standards. Those companies selected to receive the rating must also achieve injury and illness rates at or below the national average.
In the Star re-certification letter to Northrop Grumman, Richard D. Soltan, regional administrator for OSHA stated, "I see that many of your programs have been enhanced since the previous evaluation. You have made quite an investment to increase safety and health awareness to the worksite. I am pleased that the injury rates remain below the national average."
Northrop Grumman Newport News first received the Star rating in 1995. OSHA visits Star sites every three to five years to verify Star standards are being met. In September, OSHA conducted over 600 interviews and inspected most of the shipyard in order to re-certify its Star status. The Newport News shipyard is the largest single site in the U.S. to earn Star status and is the only private shipyard in the program.
Northrop Grumman Newport News, headquartered in Newport News, Va., is the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. Newport News also provides after-market services for a wide array of naval and commercial vessels. The Newport News sector employs about 19,000 people.