Base employees empowered through VPP

  • Published
  • By Bob Oldham
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Reducing injuries and promoting a healthy, safe work environment is the goal of a Department of Labor program recently started at Little Rock Air Force Base, called the voluntary protection program or VPP for short.

Two weeks ago, base military members, civilian employees and contractors received training on the concept of VPP, which is focused on employees recognizing potential hazards and addressing those hazards with the chain of command.

"VPP is a program we need to embrace at the lowest level possible," said Col. Mike Zick, 19th Airlift Wing vice commander. "VPP empowers Airmen and all employees to identify potential risks so that we can mitigate them whenever possible."

VPP encourages employees to take action by correcting a problem immediately or suggesting a better way to accomplish it, report the issue to a supervisor or a safety representative and report safety concerns to the base's safety office. VPP also encourages employees to take individual ownership of their safety and health at work and at home.

Air Mobility Command VPP assessors were here Sept. 21-25 to establish a baseline for the base to be inspected against. In a few years, Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors will survey the base to see the progress that's been made from the baseline.

"It will be a work in progress," said Rick Myers, the base's ground safety manager. But being declared a VPP Merit site is not automatic.

"Approval into VPP is OSHA's official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health," according to the OSHA Web site, www.osha.gov.

Once approved, sites that make the grade must submit annual self-evaluations and undergo periodic on-site re-evaluations to remain in the programs.

The base could be placed into one of three programs: Star, Merit or Star Demonstration.

Star means the base has the highest caliber of safety and health programs, which Mr. Myers said is the goal.

"Our Airmen, civilian employees and contractors deserve a safe work environment," Colonel Zick said. "VPP, in conjunction with our other programs, will help us ensure they have it."

OSHA announced the first VPP site in 1982. Federal worksites became eligible in 1998.

Statistical evidence indicates VPP is successful. The average VPP worksite has a days away restricted or transferred case rate of 52 percent below the average for its industry, according to OSHA's Office of Partnership and Recognition.