NASSCO Receives Certification for OHSAS

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics has received certification of its compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) Specification 18001. Established in 1999 by a consortium of the world's leading national standards bodies, certification bodies and specialist consultants, OHSAS 18001 is a voluntary international specification process that establishes requirements for a company's occupational health and safety management system. The American Bureau of Shipping's Quality Evaluations group conducted the certification process for NASSCO. The specification was developed to be compatible with ISO 9001 quality certification standards and ISO 14001 environmental management standards, to facilitate the integration of quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems at company facilities. In October 1998 NASSCO received ISO 9001 certification from the American Bureau of Shipping for the company's implementation of the international standards on manufacturing and engineering quality. In February 2001 NASSCO became the first private shipyard in the United States to receive ISO 14001 certification for its comprehensive environmental management system and environmental protection policies. The International Organization for Standardization in Geneva, Switzerland, negotiates international agreements that determine the ISO 14000 standards on environmental management and ISO 9000 standards on quality. Richard Vortmann, president of NASSCO, said, "Having a certified safety system is a big step forward in our drive toward continuous improvement in safety. OHSAS 18001 provides NASSCO with a foundation from which we can better manage the safety conditions in our shipyard. Every employee, subcontractor, customer and team member has a responsibility for safety. Working together, we can and will continue to provide the safest possible work environment at NASSCO."