OSHA's workplace Voluntary Protection Program hopes for efficient changes

August 16th, 2017 by Dakota Software Staff

OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program is a collaborative effort between OSHA officials and the general staff and management of business to ensure the safety and security of employees at worksites.

The initiative was announced in 1982, but in recent years, OSHA has come under scrutiny by employers for the program's relative absence and for the agency's strict policy.

Uncertainty from employers leads to OSHA hosting a VPP hearing

The VPP sets up a list of criteria employers can implement to maximize of workplace health and safety. Businesses hoping to enter the program must get approval by undergoing an application review and a stringent worksite evaluation by OSHA officials, based on VPP criteria.

According to the VPP's website, businesses committed to the body are typically 52 percent below the national average for Days Away Restricted or Transferred cases for their particular industry.

On July 17, in Washington D.C., OSHA held a stakeholder meeting to determine the future direction of the VPP. As reported by EHS Today, public comments and suggestions were sought to address certain questions OSHA had regarding how the agency could reshape the VPP – ultimately aiming to grow it, spotlight noteworthy employers and better utilize available resources.

Those questions were:

• What can OSHA do to enhance employer, employee and union reporting of workplace hazards through the VPP?
• How can OSHA improve participation in the VPP while maintaining the program's integrity?
• In what new or modified ways can OSHA keep long-term VPP participants engaged?
• What can OSHA change about Corporate VPP to get better leverage and results?
• How can OSHA make more efficient use of VPP resources like Special Government Employees?

According to Business Insurance, many employers believed that under the Obama administration the program was sidelined, and OSHA shifted from rewarding those that complied with safety standards to focusing more on punishing those that did not.

"It was pretty darn good when it was working. There was a lot of effort put into the model that they created, and it worked. Bring it back to life," said Fred Rideout, a risk management director for a company in the program. "When the emphasis changed from user-friendly to citations and issuing monetary penalties and trying to effect behavioral change through penalties, the cooperation was diminished. Now, OSHA has to work hard to regain the trust that once was there with the compliance assistance specialists."

Increasing trust and cooperation with its approved employers is something the VPP hopes to do in its future workings.