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2009 Region IV
VPPPA
Outstanding Mentors
The
LAVPPC
At
the 2009 VPPPA Region IV Annual Conference the
Local Area VPP Committee (LAVPPC)
was recognized for outstanding
Mentoring. The LAVPPC
consists of members from existing local VPP sites, new potential applicant sites
(several interested in the MWF Demo program), and anyone from a non-
VPP site interested in learning more about the VPP and in submitting an
application.
The LAVPPC continues to be an invaluable resource,
helping to promote the VPP in the Mobile area, throughout Alabama, and along
the Gulf Coast. They work closely with the Region IV VPP Officer (VPPO),
based in the Mobile Area OSHA Office. The committee meets quarterly to
network and discuss topics such as safety and health issues, hazard
abatement methods and engineering controls, VPP criteria to maintain Star
quality, improving existing safety and health management system (SHMS),
annual self evaluations, and mentoring activities/requests. This can
sometime include a site visit to the applicant’s facility. Several
LAVPPC members are SGEs and also participate in VPP onsites.
The committee has successfully mentored sites
that have been approved for participation in the VPP, and is mentoring sites
that are currently in the process of preparing to submit a VPP application
at sometime in the future. One of the committee members was contacted
by a potential VPP applicant group from Mississippi in 2008 about helping to
mentor them through the application process. They hosted the new
potential applicant group at their site to provide information on the VPP,
the application process, and in how to set up a SHMS that meets VPP
criteria. They invited the VPPO to attend the meeting and meet the new
potential applicants. Site visits to the applicant site in Mississippi
are being planned for 2009.
The committee members continue to promote the VPP
by attending local safety and health training sessions sponsored by local
professional groups and the local Mobile Area OSHA office. The committee
chairman and personnel from other VPP sites recently attended a local
training session on workplace violence. The VPPO also attended and
helped provide information to attendees visiting at the OSHA booth.
Several attendees received info on the VPP and expressed interest in
learning more about the program and the LAVPPC. The VPPO was able to
introduce the attendees to the LAVPPC chairman and the other committee
members. They invited the attendees to participate in the next
quarterly meeting and offered assistance should they decide to pursue the
VPP. The LAVPPC works closely with the VPPO and is willing to assist
whenever possible. Committee members will be participating and
assisting the VPPO in some local VPP workshops during 2009. The
workshops are designed to provide info to interested parties (especially
construction and MWF type employers) on VPP opportunities that are now
available. I would like to thank and recognize the LAVPPC members for
their efforts and assistance in promoting the VPP in Alabama and along the
Gulf Coast.
LAVPPC members include: Olin-McIntosh, Ciba
Corporation, Arkema, Inc., Boise Converting Operation, IP Container-Bay
Minette, Web, Murray & Associates, and BE&K.
At
the 2009 VPPPA Region IV Annual
Conference Odie Burke and Manley Hodges,
SGEs with Caterpillar Forest Products in LaGrange, Georgia
were both recognized for outstanding
Mentoring.
During 2008
they provided mentoring assistance to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA),
LLC, located in Montgomery, Alabama. This is in anticipation of
Hyundai submitting an application to the VPP sometime in 2009. Odie
and Manley have been available via phone for discussions with Hyundai
personnel and to answer any questions about the VPP application process and
questions regarding developing a safety and health management system (SHMS)
for the VPP.
They visited
the Hyundai site at least twice during 2008 for site walk troughs’, to
review site programs/documentation, and to provide suggestions for helping
Hyundai implement a SHMS that meets VPP criteria. They provided
suggestions after each visit to help Hyundai improve their existing SHMS and
understand the level of expectation for Star quality. Another site
assistance visit is planned for 2009.
In addition
to their mentoring activities with Hyundai during 2008, they have also
participated as SGEs on other VPP evaluations
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