Background:
Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waste
Management, Inc., of Houston, Texas. Wheelabrator Technologies owns and operates
21 facilities incouding 16 waste-to-energy facilities and five independent power
production facilities. These facilities are located in ten states ranging from
New Hampshire to southern Florida to the west coast. Wheelabrator’s facilities
have a combined electric generating capacity of 836 megawatts which is enough
energy to power more than 900,000 homes. Wheelabrator’s waste-to-energy
facilities have a solid waste disposal capacity of 21,340 tons per day – as much
trash as disposed of daily by more than nine million people.
Wheelabrator Westchester is a certified Star worksite under OSHA’s Voluntary
Protection Programs (VPP) – the government’s highest safety award. VPP Star
certification recognizes the outstanding efforts of managers and employees who
have achieved exemplary safety and health management systems (SHMS). Safety is a
core value throughout the Wheelabrator organization and is practiced each and
every day at all facilities.
Success Impact:
Testimonial: Employees’ Commitment to VPP Results in Saving a Life
On Thursday, May 15, 2008, a contractor from International Valve and Instrument
Corp suffered a heart attack within the waste-to-energy facility. While working
on a boiler on the ninth floor, the contractor started to feel ill and called
for help on the plant telephone. His call was heard throughout the plant and
soon it became clear he was experiencing a heart attack. Immediately,
Wheelabrator employees reacted to the emergency.
By using an automated external defibrillator (AED), employees were able to
stabilize him and monitor and administer treatment as required, while waiting
for the paramedics. Once help arrived, several employees assisted the paramedics
in moving the gentleman down from the ninth to the fifth floor where the
elevator is located; CPR and shock treatment were administered several times
throughout the process. The contractor was transported by paramedics to a local
hospital for further treatment.
“I am extremely proud of the way all of our employees reacted. Everybody pitched
in, did what we’ve all practiced and trained for,” Westchester Plant Manager
Peter Kendrigan said. “Whether they held a door, helped bring the emergency
equipment to the area, assisted in bringing the contractor down five floors, it
all added up to a positive result: life.”
Kendrigan also added he was equally impressed that, even while under the
pressures of the situation, employees had hard hats and safety glasses for the
paramedics to put on before entering the facility. "We enforce these safety
measures everyday, but to see the policy maintained during an emergency
situation, gave all of us a higher understanding of the level of importance
safety is to our facility."
"Becoming a VPP Star worksite was not just an exercise to develop and
practice exceptional safety and health programs, but it has also strengthened
our employees’ commitment to safety. It is this level of commitment that
resulted in the calm and swift reaction to a life and death situation from all
our employees. They saved a man’s life, the best safety award given."
Mark Weidman, President
Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc.
Origin: Region II, Tarrytown Area Office
Entered VPP: June 2005
Industry: Waste Treatment and Disposal (NAICS Code 5622, SIC Code 4953)
Employees: 66
Employers: 1
Source and Date: Melissa Lohnes, Region II, Tarrytown Area Office (June
2008)
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