Winn Army Community Hospital recognized with Safety Star

Photo By John Tongret | Maj. Gen. Jimmie O. Keenan, deputy commanding general – operations, presented Winn Army Community Hospital, United States Army Medical Activity (MEDDAC), Fort Stewart, Ga. with the Army’s Safety and Occupational Health “Star Status” award. The award is given for workplace safety for both staff and patients with leadership, employee involvement, hazard prevention and safety and health training among some of the factors to this achievement. Receiving the award was the Winn ACH Commander, Col. Kirk W. Eggleston. The award ceremony took place at the Patriot Auditorium, Winn Army Community Hospital.  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

06.24.2015

Story by Lt. Col. John Tongret 

Winn Army Community Hospital

FORT STEWART, Ga. - During a special ceremony June 24, Winn Army Community Hospital, United States Army Medical Activity (MEDDAC), Fort Stewart, Georgia, was recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for superior excellence in health and worker safety and awarded the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Status; designating the base as a Star site within the Department of Defense (DoD).

The ceremony, officially recognizing the hospital for the highest and most challenging participation category in OSHA’s achievement program, served to recognize USA MEDDAC Fort Stewart as only the second Army MEDDAC in the continental United States to earn the Army Safety and Occupational Health Star Award. The presentation of the Star Flag was made by to MEDDAC Commander, Col. Kirk Eggleston by Maj. Gen. Jimmie Keenan, deputy commanding general, United States Medical Command.

“We are proud of this accomplishment, because you have to get 100 percent employee buy-in for safety,” Joe Petrotta, safety manager, USA MEDDAC Fort Stewart, said. “It takes a collective effort to make an organization safe; it is everyone’s responsibility job to engage in safety, not just the Safety Office,” said Petrotta.

Within the OSHA program, three levels of designation or achievement can be attained: Star, Merit, or Star Demonstration. The Star designation indicates the hospital’s successful demonstration of continued and ongoing planning, implementation, integration, and control of the four interdependent elements of the VPP at the highest level:

• Management leadership and employee involvement
• Worksite analysis
• Hazard prevention and control
• Safety and health training

“It’s a unique event for military hospitals. Being only the second military hospital and we achieved it on the first attempt,” Col. Kirk W. Eggleston, commanding officer, Winn Army Community Hospital, said.

“It helps us validate that we are a high-reliability organization; and we have a good staff that takes safety seriously for everyone who walks through our doors,” Eggleston said when asked about the significance of the event.

Through continued emphasis on safety with new and current staff, USA MEDDAC Fort Stewart has established a firm foundation for safety as it works.

• Date Taken: 06.24.2015
• Date Posted: 06.24.2015 14:42
• Story ID: 167962
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US