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VPPPA Region IV is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and is a branch of
the National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association. Our
mission is to provide support in the form of information, networking and
related services to work sites in the Southeast who are committed to
excellence in workplace health and safety.
Region IV is evenly split between State OSHA plans and Federal OSHA plans.
The State Plan states are: Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and South
Carolina. The Federal Plan states are: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and
Mississippi.
Region IV VPP sites are leaders in health and safety through the cooperative
efforts of labor, management and OSHA. There are more than 300 worksites in
the Southeast that are VPP certified.
Region IV VPPPA assists in the safety and health process by providing
learning and networking opportunities to Region IV participants. Annual
conventions provide an opportunity to improve skills through a series of
educational workshops that cover many issues relevant to safe worksites.
These workshops are instructed by Region IV members and professionals in
these fields.
What is VPP?
The Voluntary Protection Program is designed to encourage cooperative
efforts between employees, management and OSHA for the purpose of improving
workplace safety and health. The VPP concept recognizes that workplace
safety and health can be enforced in a compliance atmosphere and can be
enhanced in a cooperative atmosphere. OSHA recognizes and partners with work
sites that demonstrate excellence in Safety and Health.
What are the benefits of joining the VPP?
Sites that have participated in the VPP state the following benefits of
becoming certified:
Improved employee motivation to workplace safety, leading to safer working
conditions, improved quality and productivity
Reduced worker’s compensation costs decreased absenteeism, improved employee
participation in all aspects of the business and improved perception of the
business as a good place to work.
Community recognition
Improvement of existing safety and health programs through the internal and
external reviews required under VPP.
Participant sites generally experience from 60 to 80 percent fewer lost
workday injuries than an ‘average’ worksite of the same size in the same
industry
How Does VPP Work?
Your company will benefit from free networking and mentoring programs that
will help you prepare for your on-site inspection. Your company will
capitalize on a network of experienced safety and health professionals and
proven best practice procedures. If you have the commitment, Region IV will
assist as much as possible.
Management and employees, including organized labor, agree to participate in
the process. Utilizing resources available through VPP, employees and
management work together to implement, maintain, document and improve their
safety process. Then OSHA VPP makes a voluntary site visit to confirm the
worksite qualifies for VPP recognition. The site is then recognized as a
Star participant or a Merit participant. Follow-up visits from OSHA (usually
at three to five year intervals) ensure continued high safety standards and
safe practices.
The annual Region IV Conference features workshops intended to help
companies in their quest for VPP recognition. The Application Workshop
delivers detailed instructions on the application process. The Strengthening
Star Quality Workshop will guide VPP sites through a process to help them
select projects and programs to enhance their Safety & Health Program. Since
the VPP is designed to foster continual Safety & Health improvement, the
workshops at the annual conference highlight areas of emphasis for Safety &
Health improvement. |