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OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) A Model of Safety and Health Excellence That Works! By Danielle Gibbs and Eric Lahaie |
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Over the past 26 years, OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s premier recognition program – has demonstrated a solid history of positive impact and impressive results, making the business case for managing worker safety and health through a systems approach. Between 2001 and 2008, the number of VPP participants covered by OSHA has grown by 170 percent and as of October 31, 2008, OSHA had 2,129 VPP sites covering more than 875,000 employees. Highlights from the recently completed FY 2007 VPP Annual Evaluation of VPP participants under Federal OSHA’s jurisdiction, show that VPP participants, on average, are:
The VPP benefit employers. Instilling safety and health prevention as a core value not only creates a safer work environment, but ultimately adds to the employer’s bottom line. Injuries, illnesses, workers’ compensation premiums, and other costs are reduced through VPP participation. In some instances, entire industries benefit as VPP participants serve as models of excellence and influence practices industry-wide. The following section highlights four recent cases of how businesses and government participating in VPP have implemented safety and health management systems and benefited from their efforts to attain and maintain VPP status. These include: lowered injury and illness rates, enhanced management commitment, improved employee involvement, and decreased worker compensation costs. Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin’s participation in VPP began in 1994 when their Syracuse and Owego facilities in New York attained VPP recognition. The Syracuse site first achieved VPP Merit recognition in February 1994. Later that year, the Owego site attained OSHA VPP Star recognition. Within one year of achieving Star status, Moorestown site’s worker compensation costs decreased by 75 percent from over $740,000 per year to $188,869 per year. VPP participation continued to positively impact the site’s bottom line and in 2006, their workers’ compensation costs were about $94,000 annually. These decreasing workers’ compensation costs show the impact VPP has on reducing injuries and illnesses while helping the company’s overall bottom line.  Lockheed Martin representatives Deb Ackerman (left) and Yvonne Slate (middle), and OSHA Area Director Chris Adams (right) at VPP ceremony (December 2007). MYR Group, Inc. MYR Group, Inc. is one of the largest electrical transmission and distribution companies in the country. In 2002, MYR Group had a TCIR of 7.3 and a DART rate of 3.9; they were also facing significant enforcement actions. Through concerted efforts throughout the organization, safety and health has been transformed into a key corporate value. By 2007, MYR’s TCIR was reduced to 2.7 (a 63 percent decrease) and their DART to 1.2 (a 69 percent decrease). Their 2007 TCIR and DART rates are also 53 and 63 percent below the 2006 BLS national average for the power and communication line construction industry, respectively. Management at MYR Group committed itself to transforming safety and health prevention into a core corporate value and becoming an industry leader for safety. Several key initiatives effected this transformation:
 VPP award and flag-raising ceremony (VPP flag is on right) and for Sturgeon Electric, a subsidiary of MYR Group (October 29, 2008). Omaha Steaks Omaha Steaks F Street Plant processes meat products from boxed beef received from USDA-inspected meat facilities. The plant, which received Star recognition in April 2008, is one of Omaha Steak’s three active VPP Star sites. In recent years, management at the F Street Plant has worked to involve more employees in their safety and health management system.  Larry Nixon, Omaha Steaks F Street Plant Manager (left) and Ben Bare, OSHA Omaha Area Office Director (right) raising flag at VPP Star ceremony on June 19, 2008 A key focus area has been ergonomics, where employees contribute many ideas for improvements. OSHA has recognized Omaha’s increased employee involvement in ergonomic initiatives as industry best practices. Examples include:
 Omaha Steaks-OSHA VPP ceremony luncheon held on June 19th, 2008. These efforts have significantly contributed to the reduction of injuries and illnesses at the site. Since 2003, the plant has reported a 62 percent reduction in their TCIR and a 70 percent DART rate reduction. This was all accomplished while ramping up production where total hours worked at the plant increased by 83 percent. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) is the largest naval shore facility in the Pacific Northwest with capabilities including alteration, overhaul and repair, construction, and dry-docking of all types of naval vessels. In January 2006, Puget became the third naval shipyard to achieve VPP recognition, joining Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire and Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia.  PSNS OSHA VPP Star Ceremony (January 2006)  (left to right) Captain Dan Peters, U.S. Navy Former Shipyard Commander; David Baker, OSHA Region X VPP Manager; Michael Lyons; Special Government Employee, ConocoPhillips; Colleen Darrell, Special Government Employee, OSHA Anchorage, Alaska; Dave Caswell, OSHA Anchorage, Alaska; C. Wallace, OSHA National Office PSNS determined that employee involvement was a key component for driving success. They increased safety awareness among all employees and empowered the workforce to accept responsibility for their own personal safety and the safety of their co-workers. Examples of how they accomplished this include:
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