By Mark Edward Nero
American Maritime Safety, a non-profit maritime trade association that facilitates the maritime industry’s compliance with international shipping protocols and US Coast Guard regulations, has chosen Foss Maritime to receive a safety award.
Foss said Sept. 19 that it will receive the award during AMS’ 2016 Annual Membership Meeting and Safety Awards Luncheon, set for Oct. 13. The awards recognize companies that uphold a commitment to manage and operate vessels that are environmentally efficient, safe and dependable, plus promote responsible maritime work practices.
Foss says its award is in recognition of the company’s efforts to build and maintain a strong culture of safety via the implementation and management of zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy.
“We are honored by this recognition of our drug and alcohol policy,” Foss President John Parrott said. “Our primary concern in all that we do is to keep our employees, equipment and the environments in which we operate safe.”
Foss’ policy, which was updated in 2015, addresses the concerns of opioid abuse and other addiction issues, the legalization of marijuana in many states, and the reasons a zero-tolerance stance is essential to the company’s safety initiatives, and in meeting increasing customer demands and regulations.
“For decades Foss has built a strong reputation of being always ready. In more recent years we've added always safe,” Foss CEO Paul Stevens said in a recent video to employees about the policy. “One way that we deliver on this commitment is by upholding a drug and alcohol policy that keeps employees and equipment safe and ready for whenever we report to work.”
