Austal USA recognized for safety improvement & excellence
Mobile, Ala. – Austal USA’s excellent safety reputation was recognized by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) at the organization’s Spring meeting in May. The 2022 Excellence in Safety and Improvement in Safety awards presented to Austal bring the company’s SCA safety award total to 17, solidifying Austal USA’s status as one of the safest shipyards in the United States.
“Employee safety has always been the top priority at Austal USA,” company president Rusty Murdaugh said. “These SCA awards are hard-earned but well-deserved recognition of our workforce’s dedication to each other’s safety and well-being.”
SCA’s Excellence in Safety award is based on Austal’s commitment to safety by maintaining a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) that is well below the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) industry average for shipbuilding. The company’s shipbuilding team was recognized for improvement in safety due to the reduction in the company’s TRIR by over 10% from last year.
“Shipyards are complex work environments, and therefore safety of our employees, whom we believe are our number one asset, is of the utmost importance,” said Matthew Paxton, President of SCA. “Austal USA’s admirable safety performance in 2022 and earning two awards reflects both superior leadership in the shipyard and strong commitment to safety. We’re proud to recognize Austal USA and the hardworking men and women who help in upholding the shipyard industry’s reputation as one of the safest in our country’s industrial base year after year.”
With the addition of a 117,000-square-foot steel panel line, complete with state-of-the-art computerized and robotic equipment, a paint and blast facility, waterfront repair facilities in Mobile, Ala. and San Diego, Calif. – maintaining an excellent safety reputation has been challenging. The increase in volume and complexity of the work Austal USA is performing has resulted in an even greater focus on safety being practiced from the top down.to ensure the company maintains its strong safety culture.
