May 19, 2003—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently recognized Allegheny Energy Supply’s Lincoln Generating Facility, Manhattan, Illinois, as one of the most effective employers in the nation in protecting workers, by welcoming the plant into the prestigious Star category of the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
“Workers at the Lincoln Generating Facility have gone home safely without a single lost workday accident for over three years now,” said Michael G. Connors, regional director in Chicago for OSHA. “The average annual lost workday rate for this type of facility is 2.4 days. Employees and contractors working at the Manhattan site have experienced no lost workday accidents and that’s a remarkable achievement; one we hope the entire industry will seek to emulate.”
The Lincoln Generating Facility is designed to provide electricity to the Midwest during periods of peak demand on a daily or seasonal basis. The plant has a nominal capacity of 664 megawatts and utilizes eight natural gas-fueled combustion turbines.
The VPP recognizes and promotes effective workplace safety and health management. In the program, management, labor, and OSHA establish a cooperative relationship at a worksite that has implemented strong safety and health systems. Star participants, which meet all VPP requirements, are at the top of the program’s recognition ladder. OSHA will not target a VPP-approved worksite for any regularly scheduled programmed inspections, although the site must continue to abide by all OSHA safety and health standards, and the agency will respond to workers’ complaints and serious accidents.
According to Connors, VPP-participating businesses experience fewer employee injuries and illnesses, reduced workers’ compensation costs, improved productivity, improved employee morale, and recognition in the community. In addition, safety and health management systems at these sites are further improved over time through the internal and external reviews that are part of the program’s ongoing requirements.
