The Hanford Site and EM Richland Operations Office contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) teamed up with the Benton County Sheriff's Office earlier this year to enhance traffic safety on the site.
Over the last few months, the partnership has resulted in improvements in traffic safety and positioned Hanford Patrol, the sheriff’s office and the HMIS Traffic Safety team to work together to reduce traffic-related violations.
Benton County Sheriff’s Deputy Grant Larson is one of two deputies who work with Hanford Patrol and Deputy Chief Jason Gessner to patrol the site. Larson is highly trained in traffic enforcement and has already made substantial contributions, including identifying and addressing traffic safety concerns and working closely with Hanford’s Traffic Safety committee to develop educational programs intended to promote safe driving habits.
"Ensuring safety is our top priority, especially with thousands of workers commuting to the site every day,” said Brian Vance, manager of EM’s Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office. "The Benton County Sheriff's Office has been a valuable partner, and the presence of deputies on the roads reinforces the importance we place on safe driving behaviors at Hanford."
The partnership is helping commuters not just at Hanford, but throughout the community, as the team encourages employees to take safety practices home with them. The collaborative team holds monthly meetings to work on safety initiatives and improve programs to reduce incidents of speeding and distracted driving.
"The presence of these deputies ensures traffic safety is taken seriously at Hanford and highlights the mutually beneficial relationship between our teams,” said Hanford Patrol Chief Lorin Cyr. “The deputies patrol roads inside and outside the security barricades, reinforcing the safety of our workforce.”
The Hanford Traffic Safety committee also recently partnered with the Washington State Patrol on the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Target Zero Program, for a successful speed enforcement operation on the site.
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