VPP recertification slated for next month

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  A team of inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be on base next month to ensure that employee safety and health remains a focus here.

Scheduled for Nov. 26 through 30, OSHA will visit Hanscom to inspect the base for recertification as a Voluntary Protection Program Star Site. Hanscom originally received its VPP Star Site certification by OSHA in August 2009 and star site participants are reevaluated every three to five years.

According to OSHA's website, a star site is designed for worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems. Locations in the star site program have achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average. Sites are also self-sufficient in their ability to control workplace hazards.

"We want to ensure that all leaders, supervisors, and employees - everyone on Hanscom -- have everything they need to guarantee a healthy and safe environment," said Galen Williams, 66th Air Base Group Safety Office director. "We want to ensure the tools are there for all employees so if a problem exists, they know how to report, mitigate or eliminate hazards that may prevent them from doing their job safely."

Williams also noted that employees and supervisors have tools available to report hazards.

"There are several different ways to report hazards on Hanscom Air Force Base," he said. "The Hazard Reporting tool on the HanscomNet is one way. This will invoke a response within 24 hours and allow it to be tracked on our website. Employees can also call our safety hotline at 5-SAFE (781-225-7233) or complete an Air Force form 457."

Safety personnel encourage employees to report hazards, but to start with a supervisor to ensure they have the opportunity to mitigate or eliminate these hazards first.

"It's important that issues be resolved at the lowest level possible," said Williams. "If there are hazards outside their workplace, such as tree limbs blocking stop signs or over sidewalks, employees are encouraged to report it through one of the hazard reporting tools for resolution."

In addition, the safety office staff says that unit safety representatives are vital to keeping employees safe.

"Unit safety representatives are extremely important in this process," Williams said. "They are the commander's eyes and ears as to what's going on in the work center. We have provided the USRs all the tools they need to be successful. If there are issues within the work center that are beyond their control, they should bring it up to the commander and also bring it up to the safety office so that we can assist."

VPP was created by OSHA in 1982 and formally introduced to the Hanscom community in May 2006. The focus of VPP is to create successful health and safety programs by promoting active and meaningful communication between leadership, bargaining units and employee involvement in most safety processes.

Employee involvement can be as simple as attending safety meetings, putting on a safety training class, providing safety briefings or identifying hazards in the workplace.

"Getting employees involved and taking personal responsibility for their own safety is the key," said Williams. "The goal is for employees to return home the same way they came to work, and to ensure the safety processes and equipment that we have in place are safe."

Education is a fundamental principle in a workforce that is as transient as a military installation can be, according to Williams.

"Part of that education process is going on the HanscomNet and completing the VPP 101 course. It lays out all the principles and guidelines of VPP," he said.

The majority of VPP supporting activities are already in place in each organization, with benefits including reduced lost work days and injuries, a safety culture that promotes a better employee quality of life, pride and recognition as a an industry and Air Force leader in employee safety and health.

For more OSHA VPP information and safety tips, visit www.hanscom.af.mil/vppinaction/.