April 12, 2006—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently spotlighted several companies for their outstanding safety and health programs.
Modine Manufacturing Company’s West Kingston, Rhode Island, plant, which manufactures various types of heaters, became the fourth Rhode Island worksite to earn membership in OSHA’s prestigious “Star” Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
OSHA’s review found a high quality of safety and health management programs, with extensive involvement by both management and workers, and illness and injury rates below industry averages.
Wheelabrator Technologies’ waste-to-energy plant in Lisbon, Connecticut, was recertified for an additional five-year membership in the Star program. OSHA’s review of the plant’s safety and health management programs found that they “continue to be consistent with the high quality of VPP participants, while [the company’s] injury and illness rates remain exceptionally low.”
Several sites of the US Postal Service have also earned membership in the Star program: the Danbury, Connecticut; Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Tewksbury, Massachusetts; and Cambridge, Massachusetts, post offices. OSHA praised their health and safety management systems, which identify and track workplace hazards to ensure their correction and control, and their training programs, which ensure that employees and contractors understand occupational hazards and how to address them.
According to OSHA, the VPP programs recognize participants that successfully incorporate comprehensive safety and health programs into their total management systems. They include a high degree of management support and employee involvement, a high-quality worksite hazard analysis, prevention and control programs, and comprehensive safety and health training for all employees. VPP companies reportedly achieve average injury rates 50 percent lower than other companies in their industries.
For more information, visit the OSHA Web site.
