PNNL Submitted the application for Star Status Online

VPP is a "process" that defines a single system and structured approach to help achieve our goal of working more safely. The good news is that the vast majority of supporting activities are already in place. For example, the Stop Work Authority that all staff have is an important right and responsibility towards ensuring a safe work environment.

The VPP, initiated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 15 years ago as a way of encouraging companies to exceed minimum OSHA safety requirements, has been adopted by DOE. It is designed to provide candidates with a mechanism for attaining desired performance.

The VPP is a recognition process adopted by DOE from OSHA. This process is aimed at worksites with successful comprehensive safety and health programs. The VPP is intended as recognition for outstanding performers. Employees are encouraged to participate in the program and work with management to ensure a safe and healthful workplace.

To attain STAR status within the VPP, workers and management alike must:

1. commit long-term; attaining STAR status in the DOE-VPP is not easy and will not happen overnight,
2. build on what we currently have in place that works, and
3. focus on areas for improvement.

Involvement in the VPP will benefit you by: improving the accident prevention program, reducing risk of injury/illness, promoting teamwork skills, creating a sense of pride in the safety program ownership, further developing lines of communication between management and employees, and enhancing employee morale.

The VPP consists of five elements. They are listed below with a brief description of what type activities or philosophies the elements represent:

• Employee Involvement
  • Meaningful participation is essential to success. Existing organizations are playing an important role. Employees are being given more opportunity to provide input into the safety and health policies and procedures which are designed to protect them.
• Worksite Analysis
  • Work activity needs to be carefully reviewed to identify potential hazards. Such reviews range from informal daily work area self-inspections to well-defined comprehensive "baseline" surveys.
• Hazard Prevention and Control
  • We must protect the safety of our employees by either totally eliminating hazards or ensuring that hazards are being controlled. In order of precedence, this includes using measures of process or material substitution, engineering control, administrative control, or personal protective equipment.

• Safety and Health Training
  • Safety and health training will be provided to every employee. The type of training will depend on the nature of the employee's job and the hazards encountered in the employee's workplace.