Mike DelRosal and Barbara Oliver review documents for processing aircraft wheels in the Wheel Cell in Building 472. Mike is a member of an AIRSpeed team that developed the Wheel Cell Lean team. Courtesy photo

DelRosal wins CNO shore safety award

By Bill Bartkus
NAVAIR Depot North Island

CORONADO, Calif. – Miguel DelRosal’s excellent work to improve the safety of NAVAIR Depot North Island teammates has been recognized by Navy brass. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark recently selected DelRosal to receive one of the Navy’s Individual Shore Safety Awards for 2004.

“It’s gratifying to know that hard work and long hours are acknowledged and rewarded,” said DelRosal, when he learned that he had won a Navy No. 1 safety award. “No one gets an award like this without a lot of help and guidance from safety-conscious people.”

Not wanting to take all of the credit, DelRosal said that many Depot members are dedicated to instilling safety concerns in their shops and offices. “I think the only limits on how successful we can be are the limits we impose on ourselves,” he said.

DelRosal has been working in the Safety Office for 10 years. Prior to 1995, he was a production worker in the Depot’s rubber equipment repair shop.

“We are ecstatic! We couldn’t be more pleased,” said Byron Doung, Industrial Operations Compliance Department head. “We wish him the best of luck as he competes in the Secretary of the Navy level.”

According to Robert Espinosa, Doung’s deputy, the safety bug apparently bit DelRosal when he became the Rubber Shop’s safety representative. When he became the Code 6.2.3 division safety representative, DelRosal worked safety issues in liaison with the Safety Office for the largest production division in the Depot. He maintained this position for four years before being hired by the Safety Office for a career as a safety specialist.

Espinosa said DelRosal has accomplished many tasks over the years, and he has faced some special challenges as well. “Mike has risen to the challenge and provides timely support, innovative solutions and exemplary leadership and teamwork on several teams,” Espinosa said.

In his farewell speech to Depot managers last October, departing Depot commanding officer Capt. James Woolway said of DelRosal, “Everything Mike touches turns to gold. But he does this with hard work and solid knowledge.”

DelRosal is the safety representative for one of the largest production codes in the Depot and he supports more than 800 artisans. Espinosa noted that over the last three years, Components production management (6.2.3) has had one of the three lowest mishap rates among the eight production codes in the Depot despite the widest variety of workplace challenges in the competency.

“Mike perfected a new partnership approach, making safety committee meetings more effective and relevant,” noted Espinosa. “His tremendous success has contributed substantially towards enabling the Depot to have the lowest lost work days among the three NAVAIR depots and among the lowest in the industry overall.”

DelRosal partnered with industrial hygienists from Naval Air Station North Island to access abatement monies through the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in order to address ventilation and ergonomic issues involving sanding booths and the sanding process. His work improved artisans’ quality in the workplace.

His other accomplishments include improving safety training for supervisors and new employees and taking it from the old boilerplate approach to a specific approach based on the job descriptions.
The Aviation Maintenance Management Team gave DelRosal a feather for his cap when it noted his improvements in the Aviation Breathing Oxygen program that addressed some historical problems involving ensuring oxygen quality and maintaining the large storage tanks. Last year, the team assessed the program as “fully successful”.

Espinosa said that DelRosal teamed with Human Resources as the safety representative to evaluate environmental pay issues. “Last year, Mike’s assessment was upheld in arbitration resulting in several hundred thousand dollars in savings,” he said.

DelRosal’s successes also extend to the Homeland Security Department. He worked with the North Island Combat Aircraft Loading Area for Homeland Security in an effort to establish armed aircraft to be “ready” and staged at North Island in 2003. This effort was successful in bolstering domestic security in Southern California without negatively impacting Depot production activities.

DelRosal is a valuable member of the AIRSpeed Office. With the Wheel Cell program, his efforts resulted in new equipment that brought the noise threshold below 85 decibels and eliminated the need for hearing protection while reducing turnaround time by 77 percent. With the Brakes Lean team, DelRosal helped to reduce turnaround time to 20 days from 130 days.

“That Adm. Clark should consider Mike a winning candidate for the award came as no surprise to those of us who know him personally,” said Espinosa.

“I would like to thank all those I have worked with and learned from during my years at the Depot,” said DelRosal, “from the commanding officers I have known to the artisans on the bench who make things happen every day. You have taught me to never be satisfied with today’s accomplishments.”

NAVAIR provides cost-wise readiness and dominant maritime combat power to make a great Navy and Marine Corps team better.