Guiding VPP Principles
These essential Principles are key to all VPP participants.
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
To maintain Star-level participation, an applicant/participant is required to include, and maintain their SHMS with all of the elements listed.
- Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) Excellence. The SHMS must effectively identify, analyze/evaluate, and prevent/control hazards, ensuring the protection of employees and supporting the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. Star participants, in particular, are expected to be on the leading edge of hazard prevention methods and technology.
- Cooperative Relationship. OSHA expects cooperation in the interaction between labor, management, and OSHA. VPP's emphasis on open dialogue and cooperation complements the agency's enforcement programs. OSHA continues to investigate safety and health complaints, fatalities, catastrophes, serious injury or illness, and other significant events at VPP participant sites.
- Employee Support for VPP Participation. VPP applications must reflect the support of the applicant's employees.
- Compliance with the OSH Act. All VPP applicants and participants will comply with the OSH Act, OSHA standards/requirements, and in the case of Federal agencies, 29 CFR 1960.
- Correcting Deficiencies. Any deficiencies related to compliance that are uncovered through OSHA on-site reviews, self-inspections, employee reports, incident investigations, process hazard reviews, annual self- evaluations, or any other means must be corrected promptly.
- Employee and Employer Rights. Participation in VPP does not diminish employee and employer rights and responsibilities under the OSH Act and, for Federal agencies, under 29 CFR 1960.
- Voluntarism. Participation in VPP is strictly voluntary. The applicant who wishes to participate freely submits information to OSHA on its safety and health management system (SHMS), goes above and beyond compliance with the OSH Act and applicable OSHA requirements, and opens itself to agency review.
- OSHA History. If an applicant has been inspected by OSHA within the 60-month period preceding application, the inspection, abatement, and/or any other history of interaction with OSHA will be reviewed and must indicate good faith attempts to improve safety and health.
- Assurances. Applications to VPP must be accompanied by assurances describing steps the applicant agrees to undertake if OSHA approves the application.
- Continuous Improvement. VPP participants must demonstrate continuous improvement in the operation and impact of their SHMS. Annual VPP self- evaluations help participants to measure success, identify areas needing improvement, determine needed changes, and track the implementation of these changes.
- Protecting Whistleblower Rights. All VPP participants and applicants will agree to protect the rights of whistleblowers per 29 CFR Part 1977, will train managers on whistleblower protections during regular OSHA trainings and will post OSHA literature on whistleblower rights in a place visible to employees.
- Outreach. VPP participants serve as models of safety and health excellence in their industries and in their communities. As such, all VPP participants are required to conduct outreach and mentoring beyond their own facility.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-3. According to the VPP guiding principles, who is expected to be on the leading edge of hazard prevention methods and technology?
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