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AFGLSC joining in OSHA program

  • Published
  • By Burt Foutz
  • Air Force Global Logistics Support Center Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  On March 4, the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center, or AFGLSC, took a step closer to implementing the Occupational Safety and Health Agency, or OSHA, Voluntary Protection Program when Maj. Gen. Gary McCoy, AFGLSC commander, signed a letter of agreement with Judith Davis, the President of Local R7-23 of the National Association of Government Employees Union.

The letter stated that the NAGE backs the implementation of the VPP by the AFGLSC and, together, they are committed to assuring the AFGLSC achieves environmental, health, and safety excellence for all of their employees. As Ms. Davis said, "I'm pleased to be in a partnership with the AFGLSC and I encourage all the employees to be active participants. One of my greatest concerns is safety and that is the reason why I am 100 percent committed to the VPP."

The VPP is an OSHA driven program started in 1982 to promote the reduction of injuries and illnesses in the workplace through the cooperative efforts of management, staff and government. There are four key elements of the VPP: management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training. The goal of the AFGLSC is to obtain "Star" status, the top level of compliance in the VPP and is OSHA's official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. Once awarded their Star, the AFGLSC would be self sufficient in its ability to control workplace hazards and would be reevaluated every three to five years with incident rates reviewed annually.

The Air Force adopted the VPP as a complement to the Air Force Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Management System in 2006 with the Air Force Materiel Command as its lead MAJCOM. With the AFGLSC falling under the AFMC, it was imperative they move to adopt the VPP to fall in-line with the other AFMC units. But it is not just to come under compliance as Gen. McCoy said "Workplace health and safety has and will always be a top Air Force priority and my top priority. But, in order to address 21st century workplace hazards and risks, you need 21st century solutions--the Secretary of the Air Force has directed implementation of OSHA VPP throughout the Air Force as the solution that will ensure the safety and physical well-being of our people and their families and is our number one priority moving forward."

The VPP Mentoring Program, formalized in 1994, matches a potential VPP candidate site with a current VPP implemented site. ConocoPhillips will be the AFGLSC's partner in the mentoring program. Members of the ConocoPhillips VPP Team will help the AFGLSC improve its health and safety management system while assisting managers and employees in preparing for participation in the VPP. Once the AFGLSC feels it is ready, it will submit its VPP application to OSHA who will then perform a top to bottom review of the AFGLSC's safety and health programs, review logs, records, and inspection histories, meet with management and employees, and conduct formal and informal interviews. If the AFGLSC demonstrates outstanding safety and health excellence, OSHA can recommend them to be awarded the VPP Star.

General McCoy said, "VPP will not work without the full cooperation and participation between management, employees, and unions. The key is to involve our union partners in all aspects of the Voluntary Protection Program. This commitment is based on a shared interest to pursue solutions that promote partnership, quality of work life, increased efficiencies, military readiness and employee empowerment, while considering the legitimate interests of both labor and management. We will diligently work together to achieve our goal of eliminating foreseeable hazards that may result in harm to individuals, property, and the environment."