May 9, 2001

Submitted by NAVAIR Public Affairs, North Island

Naval Air Systems Command North Island has been selected as the winner of the Secretary of the Navy Achievement in Safety Ashore Award. North Island won in the large industrial activity ashore category.

"Safety has been turned around. There is still more to do, but this award is fantastic," said Byron Doung, Code-6.8, Environmental Program Office manager. "Winning this award is frosting on the cake. I does not surprise me, since Margarita (Davis) and her staff did an exceptional job writing the nomination package."

Margarita Davis, Code 6.8.1, is the depot's Occupational Safety and Health Office manager. "I'm elated about the award. I think it's great for the entire (North Island) depot and the Safety staff," Davis said. She stated that in the three-and-a-half years that she's been with the depot, this is the first time that the command has submitted this type of award package.

"As far as I know, this is the first time the depot has won this type of an award. It's very prestigious," she said. She believes that this is the highest award of its type that a command can receive within the Navy.

The depot's many accomplishments include:

* Recording its lowest civilian total mishap rate and civilian lost time case rate in the last five years

* A zero military on-duty and off-duty mishap rate

* A no fires and no government motor vehicle mishaps in the last five years and acquiring individually fitted earmold plugs to improve hearing protection for test line personnel. At last count 123 employees have been fitted with earmold plugs.

* Increasing safety awareness throughout the workforce by producing and distributing monthly flyers emphasizing mishap prevention and the "Safety Focus of the Month".

* Safety team members took part in 26 depot cross-functional process improvement teams in fiscal year 2000, including the Aviation Maintenance Management Team/Process improvement, Business Process reengineering, F/A-18 Center Barrel Replacement, H-60 helicopter and International Organization for Standardization 14001 teams.

"The award shows all the hard work not only accomplished by the North Island Safety staff, but also by everyone at the depot from managers on down who do things right. Our main job (the Safety staff) is to guide and direct managers on the proper safety procedures from tools and equipment. And answer concerns that employees may have concerning safety," Davis said.