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# OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Site

### Heather F. Riley

Apr 30, 2015

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Of over 8 million worksites in the United States, White Sands Test Facility is one of the 2000  sites that have achieved the U.S. Department of Labor’s****Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star status. The VPP is a program of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), for companies that implement safety and health measures that keep injury and illness rates below the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates for their industry. The Star status is the highest award within the program and promotes:
            - Top management and employee commitment to worker safety and health protection,
            - Worksite analysis to identify existing or potential hazards in your workplace,
            - Hazard prevention and control with controls that are adequate for the hazards at the worksite, and
            - Safety and health training with emphasis on safety and health responsibilities.

Our facility is a member of Region VI of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association (VPPPA) which includes the states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

**Star among Stars Awards**​Region VI Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association (VPPPA) has recognized White Sands Test Facility every year since it’s induction as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Site with Star Among Stars Awards.White Sands is a member of Region VI of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association (VPPPA). The VPPPA is a member-based, non-profit corporation, supporting work sites across the U.S. in their efforts to receive and maintain VPP status and works closely with OSHA, OSHA state-plan states, DOE and the Department of Defense (DoD) in the development and implementation of cooperative programs within the agencies. Region VI of the VPPPA includes the states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

The Star among Stars award recognizes the top performers in VPP by comparing total case incidence rates and days away/restricted/transferred case incidence rates with the national average as calculated by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are three categories for this award and White Sands has received:
            -  Star of Excellence awards– incidence rates at least 90 percent below the national average.
            - Super Star awards – incidence rates at least 75 percent below the national average
            - Star awards – incidence rates at least 50 percent below the national average

**Region VI Regional Administrators Award for Safety and Health **White Sands Test Facility received the Region VI, Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association (VPPPA) Regional Administrators Award for Safety and Health in 2005. White Sands Test Facility is a member of Region VI VPPPA. The VPPPA is a member-based, non-profit corporation, supporting work sites across the U.S. in their efforts to receive and maintain VPP status and works closely with OSHA, OSHA state-plan states, DOE and the Department of Defense (DoD) in the development and implementation of cooperative programs within the agencies. Region VI of the VPPPA includes the states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

The Regional Administrators Award recognized how our site manager/management team went above and beyond other VPP sites to demonstrate their commitment to safety within the following areas:
            - Innovation or creativity that  reduces employee exposure to hazards,
            - Identifying hazards and correcting them pro-actively,
            - Encouraging or promoting the benefits of safety and health to others in industry, and
            - Process, event, etc., that demonstrates safety and health.