Remarks for Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association 2025 Safety+ Symposium

Acting Assistant Secretary Amanda Wood Laihow
August 12, 2025
St. Louis, Missouri

As prepared for delivery

Good morning. I'm happy to be here at the 2025 VPPPA Safety+ Symposium.

Thank you to Terry Schulte (SHULL-tee) for that warm introduction. I also want to recognize and thank the OSHA team – your presence and support mean a lot.

Before I get started, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge an exceptional group – our Special Government Employees. If you're here, please stand. (pause) Thank you for sharing your time, expertise, and commitment to advancing workplace safety and health through the VPP.

As many of you know, the Voluntary Protection Programs – or VPP – is OSHA's premier safety and health recognition program, highlighting what's possible when employers, labor, and OSHA collaborate to create safer, healthier workplaces.

And this commitment is not just about meeting safety standards; it's also about investing in and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Through VPP and other recognition programs, OSHA is meeting employers where they are – whether they're just starting their safety journey or longtime leaders in their industry – we are providing tools, resources, and recognition for success at every step.

And just as we encourage employers to continuously improve, we're holding ourselves to that same standard.

The Voluntary Protection Programs were first launched in 1982 – more than 40 years ago. Based on OSHA's Safety & Health Program Guidelines, VPP helped define a proactive approach to keeping workers safe, encouraging employers to go beyond compliance and actively engage in protecting their workforce.

But a lot has changed over the past four decades. Workplaces look different. Techniques for managing workplace safety and health have evolved. So, it's essential that OSHA's approach to voluntary and recognition programs evolve as well.

Across the Department of Labor, we're extending the use of voluntary tools that help employers proactively assess and improve compliance with the labor laws we enforce.

Whether you're running a small business, representing a labor organization, or leading safety and health efforts on the ground, we have self-audit tools that can help guide businesses to build safer, fairer, and more transparent workplaces.

Recently, our Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling announced that we are expanding our efforts to bring more clarity, more collaboration and more opportunity to those we support. Because we know that when employers have clear guidance and easy-to-use resources, they're better equipped to protect their workers while reducing the likelihood of formal investigation.

For worksites like yours, where hazard prevention is already a priority, these tools reinforce a shared commitment: creating workplaces where everyone excels safely. It's all part of the Department's mission to put the American worker first.

That is why today, I'm happy to share how we are updating OSHA's recognition programs. We want to build on the success of VPP to enhance safety and health management programs for every workplace.

Building on our existing framework, we are developing a pathway that worksites can progress along as they improve their safety and health.

We're looking at how we work with employers who are meeting and exceeding safety standards, such as those in VPP, all the way to those who are just beginning to understand what an effective safety culture looks like. And we're putting support in place to help them develop their safety and health programs.

This new Pathway to Safety and Health Success includes six steps to expand and improve workplace protections by:

• Increasing our outreach to more employers, especially small businesses;
• Reimagining OSHA Challenge into a new, more robust Safety Champions Program that connects with volunteer safety and health professionals for advice and support;
• Expanding the use of Special Government Employees (SGE);
• Incorporating leading indicators;
• Creating a new level of distinction – VPP Elite – for those sites that have not only achieved VPP status, but have maintained a level of excellence for more than 15 years;
• And expanding VPP Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS) from four to seven elements – something that many of our Star VPP sites are already doing.

We'll be sharing more details about these exciting changes in the coming months. I encourage you to stay tuned to OSHA's website for more information and opportunities to participate.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: safer workplaces. Progress occurs when we all work together to protect America's workers. By investing in compliance assistance and meeting employers where they are, we can make significant progress toward that shared goal.

SGE PROGRAM

Now, I'd like to focus on another impactful piece of the VPP – the Special Government Employee Program.

The SGE Program is the backbone of VPP. It enables us to leverage our limited resources more effectively, in doing so, reaching more worksites and individuals.

SGEs are full-time, permanent employees from active VPP sites. They support their companies and partner with OSHA staff on various efforts – from reviewing annual self-evaluations to assisting with VPP application reviews and serving as mentors to other sites.

Because of their experience and active participation, SGEs are also a key component in our VPP modernization plans with the development of a new category of Safety Champion SGEs.

SGEs represent the best of service and partnership – allowing OSHA to maintain high standards for the VPP program. Moving forward, Safety Champion SGEs will provide support and expertise to the Safety Champion Program participants.

• SGEs' impact goes far beyond their own companies – it reaches entire industries. So to the worksites and companies that support these volunteers: thank you. Thank you for giving your employees the time and space to share their expertise, travel to worksites, and help strengthen safety cultures across the country.
• Right now, there are 1,161 active SGEs across the country. More than 70 percent of all VPP on-site evaluations incorporate at least one SGE into their teams. In 2024, there were 182 on-site evaluations that had at least 1 SGE participant. Each one was made stronger by their involvement.
• Because of the extraordinary work SGEs do, we created the SGE of the Year Award in 2005 to recognize someone "who epitomizes and exhibits exceptional support, effort and action in VPP, and sets themselves apart from other SGEs."
• The person selected must be actively involved in volunteer activities that benefit VPP; perform outreach and assistance to employers and workers outside their own company; and demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the tenets of VPP.

I'm proud to announce the nominations for this year's award. They are:

Congratulations to each of you on your achievement and your commitment to worker safety and health. You are true VPP Stars.

It is now my pleasure to announce the recipient of the 2025 SGE of the Year Award. This individual has participated in countless activities within the past year relating to OSHA's VPP Program. Our award recipient:

• Participated in nine on-site evaluations, when just one every three years is required.
• Helped instruct four SGE classes in 2024.
• Mentored four sites – offering guidance on safety culture changes, best practices and continuous improvement.
• This candidate also reviewed four Annual Self-Evaluations, providing great feedback.
• And beyond their work with VPP, they also gave back to their community – mentoring youth interested in process technology, helping with cleanup initiatives and debris removal following Hurricane Beryl, and currently serving on a committee that encourages site employees to support the United Way.

Please join me in recognizing this year's winner: Erik Romo from the Dallas Region.

Erik, on behalf of OSHA, the entire VPP community, and the federal government, we sincerely thank you. Congratulations! We are grateful for your service and leadership.

As I close, I'd like to emphasize my support and OSHA's commitment to all our voluntary safety and recognition programs. I look forward to continuing to work together in making a real difference in keeping our nation's workers safe and healthy.

Thank you again for having me. Enjoy the rest of the conference.