June 11, 2004—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched two new Voluntary Protection Program pilots—OSHA Challenge and VPP Corporate—that will expand programs to promote the safety and health of thousands more workers across the nation.
Fifteen companies, associations, and a federal agency will participate in the pilots based on their commitment to improve workplace safety and health programs. OSHA will evaluate both pilots after the first year.
OSHA Challenge (.pdf file) is designed to reach employers in all industry groups who are committed to improving their safety and health management systems and want to pursue recognition for their improvements. Open to private or public-sector employees, Challenge provides a roadmap to improve performance and to ultimately achieve VPP Merit or Star status. The Challenge program outlines the requirements needed to develop and implement effective safety and health management systems through incremental steps. A number of companies and associations have stepped forward as Challenge Administrators to work with employers as they move through the steps of the Challenge program.
VPP Corporate (.pdf file) is designed to eliminate barriers faced by some corporations who want to implement VPP company-wide. To participate, corporations agree to strive for corporate-wide VPP implementation and to support the programs through mentoring and outreach activities. Streamlined application and onsite evaluation processes are used to facilitate implementation. Charter Participants are Dow Chemical Company, General Electric Company, Georgia Pacific Corporation, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson, Maytag Corporation, and the United States Postal Service.
OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs promote effective worksite-based safety and health. VPP worksites save millions each year because their injury and illness rates are more than 50 percent below the averages for their industries.
