OSHA’s VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS A Path for Achieving Safety and Health Excellence

1. OSHA’s VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMSA Path for Achieving Safety and Health Excellence Federal Agency VPP Workshop Cathy Oliver Director Office of Partnerships and Recognition Occupational Safety and Health Administration

2. What is VPP? • A process for achieving safety and health excellence • Joint Cooperation: Labor ~ Management ~ Government • Official recognition of excellence

3. VPP – Basic Tenets • Effective Safety and Health Management Systems • Performance-based Criteria • Self-Sufficient • Effects Culture Change • Continuous Improvement

4. NOT THE FLAVOR OF THE MONTH

5. VPP Benefits • Employees • Safe and Healthful Work Environment • Improved Morale • Employers • Lower Costs (Insurance & Workers’ Comp) • Higher Profitability • OSHA • Role Models • Safety and Health “Ambassadors”

6. Safety and Health Management System(SHMS)

7. VPP Elements • Management commitment and employee involvement • Worksite analysis • Hazard prevention & control • Training

8. Management Commitment • Commitment • Planning • Written Program • Authority and Resources • Line Accountability • Contract Worker Coverage

9. Employee Involvement • “Meaningful” Involvement • Employee Rights • Union Assurances • Access to Records

10. Worksite Analysis • Self-Inspection • Comprehensive Surveys • Hazard Analysis • Accident Investigations • Trend Analysis • Annual Evaluation

11. Hazard Prevention & Control • Written Program • Engineering, Administrative, PPE Controls • Emergency Preparedness • Professional Expertise • Occupational Health Care Programs

12. Safety and Health Training • Hazard Recognition • Rights and Responsibilities • Safety and Health Management Systems

13. VPP Process

14. VPP Process • Application to Regional VPP Manager • No Fees Associated with Program • Program Criteria • Injury & Illness Rates Below BLS Avg. • S&H Programs In Place 1 Year • Union buy-in • Annual and Self Evaluation • Onsite Evaluation • Re-approval Process

15. VPP Onsite Evaluation • Not Compliance Oriented • Comprehensive SHMS Review • Documentation Reviews • OSHA-300 Records Check • Employee Interviews • Recommendation for Participation

16. VPP Recognition • Star • Highest level of recognition • All VPP requirements met • System operating at least one year • Rates are below the National Average • Merit • Demonstration

17. How Much Does VPP Cost? • Depends Upon Starting Point • No standard method of costing S&H • No Set Cost • Varies by Complexity • Necessary Documentation for Confidence • Several VPP Sites have anecdotally reported that after start-up up costs, it is small (less than 1% of gross operating expenses typically) • USA/NASA $1 = $6 pay back

18. Growth of VPPFederal Only As of 1/31/07 Source: OSHA, Office of Partnership & Recognition

19. VPP Participants • Over 270 different industries participate • Size Independent • Smallest Site: 3 Employees • Largest Site: 18,000 Employees + 1,059 Contract Employees • 52% have < 200 Employees • 28% Union

20. General Electric Dell International Paper Conoco Philips Frito-Lay Exxon-Mobil Motorola Georgia Pacific Nabisco Solutia Pfizer Tyco 3M Lockheed Martin IBM Corporation Dow Chemical Schering-Plough Texaco United Space Alliance Who’s Who in VPP

21. Federal Agencies in VPP 118 Total VPP sites across 7 Agencies • NASA (7 sites) • DOL (4 sites) • DOD (7 sites; Army 1, Navy 4, NSA 2) • HHS (1 site) • Interior (3 sites) • Treasury (1 site) • USPS (95 sites)

22. VPP: Special Government Employees • Assists OSHA’s onsite evaluation teams with industry employees; also Federal employees • Invites qualified volunteers from VPP sites to participate if approved by OSHA and funded by companies/agencies • Gives industry and government opportunity to work together to share views and best practices • Currently, there are more than 700 active SGEs • In FY06, used 353 SGEs • There are 67 “SGEs” from Federal Agencies

23. New Initiatives • VPP Corporate • Mobile Workforce • OSHA Challenge

24. Puget Sound Naval ShipyardA VPP Success Story

25. VPP STARSPortsmouth Naval Shipyard • Oldest continuously operating shipyard in the US (June 1800) • Approximately 4,300 workers • TCIR/DART are 32% and 48% below the industry averages, respectively

26. The US Mint at Philadelphia A VPP Success Story Prior to VPP: • One of the highest employee injury rates in the federal government • In 2002, The Mint was cited for 81 OSHA Violations with 139 specific examples of unsafe conditions. • Had the Mint been a private company, it would have faced $250,000 in fines for violations. • The Director of the Mint orders a six week work stoppage to review and address safety issues.

27. The US Mint at Philadelphia A VPP Success Story VPP: Making an Impact……

28. VPP - Workers’ Compensation Medical Costs Total Savings FY 03 - 06 (-) $410K or (-) 37%

29. VPP Works… 2005 Data • TCIR Rate 50% below Industry avg. • DART Rate 53% below Industry avg. • Fed Agency TCIR 53% below Industry avg. • Fed Agency DART 44% below Industry avg. • Estimated 11,901 TCIR injuries avoided • Estimated 6,061 DART injuries avoided • Reduced Worker’s Compensation Costs • Labor, Management , and Government working together • Increased Productivity • WORKERS GO HOME SAFE

30. What People Are Saying… • “It has been a joint effort involving our unions, management, employees and OSHA in identifying potential hazards and health risks and developing programs that are transforming workplace safety and health into a model for other agencies and companies.” - John E. Potter, Postmaster General, U.S. Postal Service

31. VPP Help • http://www.osha.gov • Federal Register Notices • Local OSHA Area Office • VPPPA

32. Contact • Cathy Oliver (202) 693-2213 oliver.cathy@dol.gov