Following a thorough audit conducted by three expert auditors, Tobyhanna Army Depot has been recertified to the lofty ISO 45001 occupational health and safety standard.
In a particularly impressive result, Tobyhanna recertified to the standard with zero nonconformances and seven best practices identified during the audit, which took place between March 30 and April 2.
As defined by the International Organization for Standardization’s website, “ISO 45001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety management system. It provides a framework for organizations to manage risks and improve OH&S performance.”
Tobyhanna Army Depot was the first Department of War facility to attain the certification in 2019.
Tobyhanna’s continued adherence to this standard reinforces its commitment to its employees’ wellbeing and its mission. Creating an ISO 45001-compliant occupational health and safety program ensures members of Team Tobyhanna are providing readiness to our nation’s warfighters as safely, and thus efficiently, as possible.
Although Tobyhanna’s occupational health and safety management system is audited annually, this year’s audit was a recertification audit. These audits happen every three years and necessitate every element of the standard being audited. Tobyhanna earned the top “highly effective” rating in 11 of the 12 elements of the standard.
This year’s audit team from Government and Military Certification Systems, Inc. was a mix of familiar faces and newcomers to Tobyhanna Army Depot. Lead Auditor Jeri Ann Schlemmer and fellow auditor and President of Government and Military Certification Systems, Inc. Leigh Brand have audited the installation several times before while auditor Marcy Kivi made her maiden voyage to Tobyhanna.
In the audit’s opening meeting, Schlemmer noted both Tobyhanna’s pristine installation and occupational health and safety record.
Schlemmer said “Tobyhanna is a beautiful campus, and I am always happy to come back,” before adding that Tobyhanna has avoided the repeat nonconformances that can plague other organizations.
This is a direct result of Tobyhanna’s commitment to continuous improvement as well as Team Tobyhanna’s adherence to best safety practices driven by an engaged, vigilant safety culture.
The audit team impressed upon depot leadership that they are assessing processes rather than people. A core belief driving the audit is that the processes fail, not the people.
The audit traveled to various predetermined destinations across the installation, allowing observations and conversations with team members to drive the path of the audit beyond that.
The auditors observed seven organizational best practices, something Schlemmer said she “doesn’t think we’ve ever given” – Tobyhanna's modernization strategy, red card program, weekly presentation of safety talks and the organization’s safety dashboard, the maintenance of a safety corner and reporting program, the inclusion of standard safety contract language in the procurement process, the maintenance of a contracting officer's representative safety checklist, and the strengthening of Tobyhanna’s internal audit processes.
The auditors’ findings of a significantly improved internal audit process was a particular point of pride for Tobyhanna Army Depot Safety & Occupational Health Office Chief Dana Bilotta. Bilotta attributes Tobyhanna’s stellar audit results in large part to her team’s proactivity in improving processes as well as their availability to Team Tobyhanna’s dynamic civilian workforce.
“I am very proud of the hard work of the team in the Safety & Occupational Health Office. We have made it a point to travel across the installation to build relationships with employees, communicate safety best practices with them, and create a collaborative environment in which safety can truly thrive. This commitment to the safety of our workforce has been the driver of better defining our internal audit processes.”
Bilotta said these results are only possible with support from the entirety of Team Tobyhanna. She said it is refreshing to see the genuine respect for safety and the system she and her team work to strengthen every day alive and well on the mission floor.
“The pride members of our workforce take in their work and in making safety a top priority is evident on mission floors across our installation.”
Health Physicist Noah Stagliano, who served as a lead and point of contact for the audit, echoed Bilotta’s sentiments, saying “a commitment to safety is needed from the entire organization to achieve the highest possible rating assessment.”
External audits like this ISO 45001 audit directly align with Tobyhanna's long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035 - specifically the C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future, and Invest in Our People lines of effort. The goal of Tobyhanna Army Depot’s plan is to strive to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of War's premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.
Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is designated as the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR), electronics, avionics, and missile guidance and control. TYAD provides cradle-to-grave lifecycle support through depot-level repair, systems integration, software and cyber engineering, and field support. A key enabler of operational readiness for Joint and Allied Forces globally, TYAD leverages new and emerging technologies to further expand the Department of War’s organic capabilities for microelectronics, secure communications infrastructure, uncrewed aircraft systems, Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), and the Army’s Next Generation Combat Systems (NGC2). TYAD’s ability to rapidly surge production, deploy field support teams, and scale for contingency or theater-level operations makes it a vital contributor to strategic readiness and operational reach.
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