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George Washington Receives Navy's Top Safety Award
Story Number: NNS130429-01
4/29/2013

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Liam Kennedy

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) received the 2012 fiscal year Admiral Vern Clark Safety Award April 10.

This award recognizes Navy commands each year for innovative actions, and reduced mishaps among Sailors or civilians within the Department of the Navy.

"We approached [safety] as a team effort; we used departmental safety petty officers and held them accountable to provide us feedback essential to safety management," said Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Parks, George Washington's industrial hygiene officer. "Safety petty officers temporarily assigned to our department during the ship's restricted availability (SRA) period brought their own expertise to the table based on their personal knowledge of the ship."

The criteria for this event were command contributions to safety planning and execution that merits service wide adoption, fostering a climate where safety is a primary part of executing the ships mission, and participation in new safety goals that have a proven impact on the units overall safety program.

This award was presented to Capt. Carlos Sardiello, George Washington's executive officer, by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition in National Harbor, Md.

"It was our Sailors' daily actions that formed the safety foundation upon which maintenance and operational excellence was established," said Sardiello. "This award is not only a recognition of the tireless work and standard of excellence, but a testament to the dedication of our Sailors."

According to the citation, George Washington was honored for demonstrating sustained superior performance in the safe operations and maintenance while forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

"We really expanded the use of our divisional and departmental safety petty officers and empowered them to take care of safety within their respective departments," said Parks. "That's one of the things I think we have really expanded on in the past couple of years."

"[George Washington's safety department] began using the Total Ships Information Management System (TSIMS) to input and document safety discrepancies, so departments and divisions can have one point of access," said Parks. "TSIMS has streamlined the process and created a one-stop-shop for reports."

The command also actively encourages all Sailors to promote safety throughout the ship.

"If you read the commanding officer's policy, it drives down to the deck plates that every Sailor is to be proactive regarding safety; that they are empowered to know that if they see an unsafe act to know to stop it, report it, and to be actively involved in the safety of the ship," said Parks.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its partners and allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn73/.