“Stop Work” Policy

Policy Purpose & Scope:

1. All employees are given the responsibility and authority to stop work whenever they believe a situation exists where:

   1. It places them, their coworker(s), contracted personnel, or the general public at risk or danger.

   2. It could adversely affect the safe operation or cause damage to the facility or its equipment.

   3. It could result in a release of radiological or chemical effluents to the environment.

2. The policy provides a method to resolve such issues.

3. Employees maintaining a diligent questioning attitude is vital to safe execution of work- scope.

Responsibilities:

1. Employees

In supporting safe execution of work, all personnel have the following responsibilities:

1. The responsibility and authority to stop work or decline to perform an assigned task without fear of reprisal, and to discuss and resolve such work and safety concerns.

2. The responsibility to notify their supervisors if a raised Stop Work issue has not been resolved to their satisfaction through established channels prior to the resumption of work.

3. Employee can contact their safety representative with a concern or to initiate a stop work, if the employee prefers to remain anonymous.

2. Supervisors & Management

1. Resolve any issues that have resulted in an individual stopping a specific task(s) or activity.

2. Provide feedback to individuals and the affected work group who have exercised their Stop Work responsibility on the resolution of their concern prior to resuming work.

3. Ensure no actions are taken as reprisal or retribution against individuals who raise safety concerns or stop an activity they believe is unsafe.

Procedure:

1. Stop work if an activity or condition is believed to be unsafe.

2. Ensure the work/activity is in, or placed in, a safe condition and immediately notify supervision/management and affected workers when you stop work or decline to perform an activity.

3. Resolve all issues that have resulted in an employee stopping work or an activity.

4. Be sure any necessary corrective or compensatory actions are taken before resuming an activity and are documented in accordance with company procedures.

5. Document all stop work incidents and submit paperwork to the safety department for review. Once reviewed they can be sent to management for additional review and follow up to confirm that stop work investigations have been completed and all issues addressed.