VPP could improve work conditions, prevent fines
The Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) allows employers to better protect workers from hazards while also eliminating or reducing the chance of being hit with some types of penalties, according to an official with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The program was established in 1982 to recognize excellence in workplace safety and management, says Cathy Oliver, chief of voluntary programs with OSHA. Since then, injury rates at VPP companies have fallen to 45% below their industry averages. There are currently 564 sites participating in the program. (See bar graphs on p. 136 for details on how much participation has increased in recent years. Graphs show information as of 8/31/99.)
Designed to recognize and promote effective safety and health management, the VPP includes these features:
- Management agrees to operate an effective program that meets an established set of criteria.
- Employees agree to participate in the program and work with management to ensure a safe and healthful workplace.
- OSHA initially verifies that the program meets the VPP criteria. It then publicly recognizes the site’s exemplary program and removes the site from routine scheduled inspection lists. (OSHA may still investigate major accidents, valid formal employee complaints, and chemical spills.)
- OSHA reassesses periodically to confirm that the site continues to meet VPP criteria.
Oliver says the VPP concept acknowledges that compliance enforcement alone can never fully achieve the objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Good safety management programs that go beyond OSHA standards can protect workers more effectively than simple compliance, she explains.
Participation in the program can result in improved employee motivation to work safely, leading to better quality and productivity, Oliver says. Participants also can expect reduced workers’ compensation costs and recognition in the community. VPP participant sites generally experience from 60% to 80% fewer lost workday injuries than would be expected of an "average" site of the same size in their industries, she says.
When considering whether to participate, some employers worry that the VPP will just make them do a lot of paperwork without offering real benefits. Oliver says the VPP application process is designed to be rigorous, to ensure that only the best programs qualify. But VPP reviewers don’t look for a single correct way to meet VPP requirements. Some successful programs involve a lot of written documentation, while others do not, she says.
It is clear, however, that VPP participation is not a cakewalk. As a minimum, work sites must be in compliance with all OSHA standards. Star participants are expected to exceed OSHA’s standards. All VPP participants are expected to demonstrate continuous improvement during their annual (for Merit and Demonstration levels) and triennial (for Star) evaluations. (For descriptions on VPP’s three program levels, see cover story.)
VPP on-site inspections are more thorough than compliance inspections. OSHA safety specialists and industrial hygienists spend 1½ to two days thoroughly examining the entire work site to identify the types of hazardous conditions that exist. In addition to the compliance-type inspection, a thorough examination of the written safety and health program is conducted to ensure that it is comprehensive in nature and provides protection to employees against all the hazards and potential hazards that may exist in the workplace.
[To apply for VPP, contact OSHA’s Division of Voluntary Programs at (202) 693-2213 or the VPP manager at the nearest OSHA regional office.]
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