Dale LantzVPP Coordinator TWU514
Brothers and Sisters, I am pleased to announce Dale Lantz as the VPP Coordinator (Voluntary Protection Plan) for TWU, Local 514. Dale has nine years experience as the Safety Chairman of this local as well as being a member of multiple safety committees such as Accident Prevention Council, National Safety Council, Oklahoma Safety Council and the World Safety Conference. He originally brought the OSHA VPP program to TWU, Local 514 in February 2007 after attending the Region VI VPP Conference in San Antonio and the 2006 VPPPA (Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association) National Conference. Please join me in supporting Dale Lantz as the VPP coordinator and members of the Base Safety Committee serving to make sure that each of us return home from work safely and healthy to our families.
The VPP recognize employers and workers in private industry and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. In VPP, management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a system focused on hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, training and management commitment and worker involvement. To participate, employers must
submit an application to OSHA and undergo a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals. Union support is required for applicants represented by a bargaining unit. VPP participants are re- evaluated every three to five years to remain in the program. VPP participants are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status. http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/
The Bottom Line!
When all is said and done regarding safety, the bottom line is that the membership goes home in the same condition as they came to work. We have seen many initiatives at the Tulsa Base, VPP is one of them. For VPP to have value to this local, it is crucial that the company dedicate the resources to protect workers. This comes in the form of having a clearly defined safety issue such as an exposure to heavy metals and chemicals, risk of fall, electrocution, etc., and correcting the clearly defined safety issues in a timely manner. That means stop the risk or exposure by process, engineering or training immediately!