NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News Shipbuilding announced it is withdrawing from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program.
Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin made the announcement on her Facebook page.
Boykins said the shipyard chose to withdraw after an employee died on the job last year.
In August 2019, 58-year-old supervisor Tim Ewing was working inside a tank on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier when he fell to his death.
“After careful consideration, and in light of the fatality we experienced last summer, we have made the decision to withdraw from the program at this time,” Boykin said in the post.
“While safety will always remain at the forefront of everything we do, we have work to do to reestablish the safety culture and program our employees deserve.”
The Voluntary Protection Program Star status is the highest seal of approval OSHA gives to a worksite in recognition of its safety programs and practices.
Boykin said the shipyard is already planning for reapplication to the program in 2021, and “actively working to improve our safety culture.”