NEWS RELEASE
Frankfort, Ky. (Sept. 27, 2016) – Governor Matt Bevin and Labor Cabinet Secretary Derrick Ramsey visited Lockheed Martin at Bluegrass Station today to present a Governor’s Safety and Health Award for working 2,425,069 consecutive hours without a lost time injury or illness.
“Bluegrass Station has an economic footprint of over $270 million, and Lockheed Martin’s nearly 2,000 employees are a major reason for this,” said Gov. Bevin. “While we are thankful for this impact on Kentucky’s economy, we are here today to recognize their commitment to workplace safety by presenting them with the Governor’s Safety and Health Award. Working almost two-and-a-half million hours without a significant injury signifies the importance that Lockheed Martin places on keeping their employees safe and healthy.”
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
The Bluegrass Station facility was originally created by the Army in 1941. It was then known as the Lexington Signal Depot until 1995, when the Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended it be shut down. Kentucky then took over the installation in an effort to keep defense contractors there, working in support of homeland security and national defense missions.
“This is Lockheed Martin’s first Governor’s Safety and Health Award,” Sec. Ramsey stated. “I hope this award both properly showcases their hard work over the last year in staying safe while also motivating them to achieve another two-and-a-half million hours without an injury. This is why I’m privileged to join Gov. Bevin in recognizing this achievement, and I look forward to the Labor Cabinet’s continued relationship with them to ensure that they remain as one of Kentucky’s flagship companies for workplace safety.”
“All Lockheed Martin employees share in the honor of receiving this award for their commitment and outstanding performance,” said Hector Alvarez, Vice President of SOF CLSS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Our focus is on prevention versus reaction, a practice which our employees embrace as evidenced by this significant accomplishment. Lockheed Martin’s continued safety and performance excellence is a result of the dedication of every one of our employees. We build safety into everything we do.”
Senator Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester) also offered his praise.
“Even as a company that operates on a global scale, Lockheed Martin has taken every measure to ensure the safety and well-being of each individual employee,” said Sen. Alvarado. “Kentucky needs more companies like this that so value their workforce. I congratulate them on this much-deserved award.”
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet presents the Governor’s Safety and Health Award to highlight outstanding safety and health performance in Kentucky’s workplaces. A business may qualify for the award if its employees achieve a required number of hours worked without experiencing a lost time injury or illness. The required number of hours is dependent upon the number of employees.
According to Alvarez, the Lockheed Martin Environmental Safety and Health team has developed a proactive management system to embed safety into the day-to-day culture at the facility. The management system encourages employees to identify hazards, and consistently communicates leadership expectations and its commitment to safety. It consists of eight elements including a self-assessment to measure performance and identify improvement opportunities.
For more information on the Governor’s Safety and Health Award, click here.