Facility Representative Program Outstanding at ID

Idaho's three DOE Complex-wide Facility Representative of the Year (FROTY) recipients at this year's conference pose for a photo shoot with Elvis. L to R: Dary Newbry 2005 FROTY, Bob Seal 2006 FROTY, Bob Knighten 2004 FROTY

Facility representatives (FRs) are the eyes and ears of the federal government at the Idaho National Laboratory. They oversee the people, processes, facilities and systems that ensure safety at INL facilities. Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy recognizes the facility representative who has demonstrated the highest level of performance with the FR of the Year (FROTY) Award. For the past three years, the Department of Energy’s Idaho Operations Office has taken the spotlight when it involves outstanding performance.

That’s correct, for three consecutive years, an ID FR has captured the national selection as the DOE National FROTY. For 2007, Bob Seal was recognized for his outstanding performance. The previous two years (2006 and 2005) Dary Newbry and Bob Knighten found themselves standing in that spotlight.

Mark Whitaker (DOE-HQ) presents the 2006 DOE Facility Representative of the Year Award to DOE-ID's Fac Rep Bob Seal at this year's conference.

DOE-ID Manager Beth Sellers commented, “Let me start by congratulating Bob Seal for being selected as the FacRep of the year for DOE this year. Everyone said, ‘DOE-ID will never get three in a row’ but we did it. Bob was recognized for his excellent participation and analysis of Nuclear Regulatory Commission methodology of safe work practices, leading the investigation of a laboratory accident, and his participation in preparations for shipment of remote-handled transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.”

Sellers added, “Earning three straight Facility Rep of the Year awards is a reflection on the emphasis we here at ID place on safety. It shows we have outstanding people in the field, looking out for the well-being of our workers, the public and the environment.”

The Mission Statement for the FR Program is: To provide effective day-to-day oversight of contractor operations at DOE facilities so that line managers have accurate information on safe work performance.

What exactly is the Facility Representative Program (FR)? This very important program is vital at all DOE facilities. FRs assure that

2005 DOE Facility Representative of the Year recipient, Dary Newbry, and wife, meet and greet Samuel Bodman, Secretary of Energy last November.   2004 DOE Facility Representative of the Year recipients, Bob Knighten (DOE-ID) and Jeff Cravens (DOE-YSO), meet and greet Samuel Bodman, Secretary of Energy, with a host of other HQ personnel in 2005.

facilities are operated in a manner that protects not only the workers, but the public and the environment as well. Specifically, DOE orders say: “The purpose of the DOE Facility Representative Program is to ensure that competent DOE staff personnel are assigned to oversee the day-to-day contractor operations at DOE’s hazardous nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. Oversight performed by Facility Representatives provides DOE line managers with accurate, objective information on the effectiveness of contractor work performance and practices, including implementation of the integrated safety management system. The Department’s experience has shown that when personnel are dedicated to this function, the information that they provide can be used proactively to ensure that work is completed in a safe and efficient manner.”

How does a person become an FR? The training and qualification process required of DOE FRs varies somewhat throughout the complex. The process to qualify as an FR at DOE-ID includes the following:

For the most part, the qualification process is an independent self-paced program. Qualification is granted when the candidate completes all of the FacRep qualification phases discussed above, and demonstrates having knowledge in those areas with a formal evaluation during a facility walkdown, facility written examination and final oral board. For more information regarding this valuable program, please check-out the DOE Facility Representative website at: http://www.facrep.org/