VSRA News

Early Bird Registration has begun for the VSRA 18^th Annual Safety & Health Seminar scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - REGISTER NOW!  Seating will be limited, so be sure to reserve your seats early!  You will be invoiced.

Please click here to register.

Doors open at 7:00 a.m.  Breakfast and registration are from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.  Opening session begins promptly at 8:00 a.m.

Theme:  "Home Safe - Not Just for Baseball”

VSRA hosts a Safety & Health seminar each year for the benefit of its members and employees. This event is sponsored by the Safety Committee. This is a dynamic day of presentations, activities and networking for employees who ensure their personal safety and those around them.

Please click here to view the Safety & Health Seminar Flyer

Please click here to view the Sponsorship Package.

Please contact Sylvia Bell if you have any questions at sbell@VirginiaShipRepair.org or call (757)233-7034.

On July 16, 2013 VSRA released a position paper on the impacts of Homeport planning, along with strategies that make more short-term economic sense, as well as position the maintenance community to be more efficient and effective in the long-term. Please read and share this document in our effort to support the best solutions possible in our current fiscal environment.

Click Here to Download the Document.

Congratulations to Jr. Tradesman of the Year Steven Pulliam and Sr. Tradesman of the Year Dennis Bueso. The judging was tough in both categories and is conducted blindly, so congratualtions also to Oceaneering for taking home both awards this year! Both candidates showed exemplary performance in innovation, expertise in craft, mentorship and community service. We are proud of them and all of our skilled workforce. Together we are The Strength Behind the Fleet!

The House passed a spending bill that will fund Navy fleet maintenance and avert the defense crisis. Senator Mark Warner explains the current situation in this LETTER. The Senate is expected to introduce their own version of the budget the week of March 13, 2013.

Link to Latest News

Link to Congressional Contact Lists

Your calls and letters are turning up the heat in D.C. Read more on how to expand the impact you are having!

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter issued a memorandum outlining steps the Pentagon is taking in response to the budget uncertainty and challenges as a result of operating under a continuing resolution and the growing threat of sequestration.

[Sequestration "would be $4.6 billion hit for the Department of the Navy," said Mabus in his speech. "If that continuing resolution is extended for the rest of the fiscal year that's another -- exactly the same number -- $4.6 billion hit."]

Full Article on AolDefense

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's  Outstanding Women’s Exchange presents Women in Motion. Recognizing local outstanding women.

Guest Speaker: Deborah Stearns of Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate

November 8, 2012 (11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) at Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina: 700 Settlers Landing Road Hampton, VA. Tickets are $35.00 for members and non-members; you may purchase ticket(s) at www.OWEevents.com

Winners:

Nicole Stuart of Top Guard Security: Outstanding Woman of the Year

Erin Black of Old Point National Bank: Young Professional Woman of the Year

Sharon Durrette-Hunt of Enspyr, LLC: Outstanding Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year

Due to some extreme heat facing much of the country this summer, late last week OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Richard Fairfax sent a memo to OSHA regional enforcement officers directing them to "expedite heat related inspections and to issue citations, where appropriate, as soon as possible." OSHA will be assessing citations using criteria laid out in the attached memo using the General Duty Clause of the OSHAct. The memo further states that should the requisites not be met in full to warrant a General Duty Clause citation, OSHA will issue employers a Hazard Alert Letter (HAL) recommending specific steps to abate heat related hazards. The entire memo is attached with more information, including a sample HAL.

Please click here to view the Memo Fairfax to RAs re heat July 2012.pdf.

Please be sure to review your policies. Please also see OSHA's recent website and associated resources focusing on heat illness here: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html.

To view Bill Clifford's presentation on Hampton Roads ship home porting changes and sequestration impacts from the July 17th VSRA General Membership meeting, please click here.