Title: Application of a Senior Management Executive Steering Committee for ISM Leadership
Facility: Savannah River Site (SRS), Westinghouse Savannah River Company
Point of contact:
Why the best practice was used:
The Steering Committee was originally established to bring management commitment and responsibility to the development, implementation and closure of an action plan for the ISMS Phase I Verification Review. Subsequently, the DOE-HQ separate direction of ISM,
VPP and EWP initiatives caused DOE-SR to request WSRC to identify single Company ownership for these processes and take action to integrate them. Based on this identified need for ownership and integration, the Committee structure was changed to include executive management, and the
purpose was expanded from one of commitment and responsibility to bring senior management ownership, leadership and strategic direction to ISMS implementation throughout the Company.
What are the benefits of the best practice
The Executive Steering Committee is sponsored by the WSRC Office of the President, with the Executive Vice President as the chairperson of the Committee. In addition, six other vice presidents, representing the full life cycle of facilities and activities at
SRS, and the chairperson comprise the voting membership, which demonstrates senior line management ownership of the ISMS. The Committee is recognized as the key ISMS "decision making" body for WSRC’s senior management. Through this high-level, active involvement, ISMS has become the
over-arching umbrella management system at the site and has avoided the perception that ISM is just another "program of the month." Also, through Committee sponsorship of a number of initiatives, the workforce at all levels of the Company has been drawn into ISMS implementation and
belief in the values of the functions and principles.
WHAT PROBLEMS/ISSUES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEST PRACTICE
The initial size of the Steering Committee was too large and the management levels of membership were not high enough to get the attention, involvement and action of the full workforce in ISMS implementation. Furthermore, the DOE customer did not see the
commitment necessary from senior management for ISMS implementation to be successful and broadly applied on the site. Ownership and active management direction and sponsorship for ISM and a number of safety initiatives were missing from the site. Therefore, the Executive Steering
Committee was just the right fix.
HOW THE SUCCESS OF THE BEST PRACTICE WAS MEASURED
A system of measurement, using pre-established criteria, was developed by DOE-SR to evaluate the performance and value of committees and task groups on site where joint contractor/DOE participation is involved. The Executive Steering Committee, which is one of
the groups evaluated quarterly, has consistently rated Excellent or Very Good, the two highest ratings. In addition, the Committee’s success can be measured by the number of successful initiatives launched by the Committee, as well as the increasing number of times the Committee is
being identified as the focal point to resolve or address major ISMS issues on site.
DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS EXPERIENCE USING THE BEST PRACTICE
As noted above, the Steering Committee has evolved into a recognized senior management body of executives who have taken ownership of the WSRC ISMS Description Document and who have assumed the leadership and overall strategic direction for ISMS implementation
at every level of the organization. Site actions associated with Voluntary Protection Program activities, Behavioral Based Safety practices, Hazardous Energy Control improvements, INPO Assistance Visits and training opportunities, assessment performance, performance measurement
development, subcontractor flow-down enhancements, and Corrective Action process improvements represent experiences that have benefited from sponsorship and direction by the Executive Steering Committee. A major initiative of the Steering Committee is the establishment of an ISM
Strategic Plan, with an associated action plan, to define and guide the maintenance and continuous improvement of ISMS implementation on site. The Committee has taken on responsibility for the Functional Program process and improvements in management evaluations of these Programs as
part of the plan to strengthen ISMS performance.
