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At the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD), there is simply no substitute for safety. When NSWCPD earned the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Recertification on Oct. 5, 2020, it also became the first Warfare Center to receive the prestigious certification three times. This milestone stands as a testament of its unwavering commitment to safety.
“Our VPP recertification proves once again that the safety of everyone here at NSWCPD remains our primary mission,” said Capt. Dana Simon, NSWCPD Commanding Officer. “Safety begins here, and I am proud of everyone involved in attaining this exceptional accomplishment.”
The VPP Star certification is OSHA’s highest honor and is reserved for organizations that have implemented effective safety and health management systems, including the four elements of VPP: Management Leadership and Employee Involvement, Worksite Analyses, Hazard Prevention and Control, and Safety and Health Training. Additionally, organizations must maintain injury and illness rates below the national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.
NSWCPD Safety Manager Nick Kutufaris explained the recertification process, “Although the recertification was conducted in October, the actual preparation for the onsite evaluation began in March 2020. But it was put on hold because of the pandemic. Phone conferences with OSHA started again in July along with an onsite planning meeting and pre-inspection. Next was document exchange and conference calls with the VPP inspection team to finalize all details for the recertification.”
“Then the Safety Branch coordinated the evaluation agenda with OSHA for Sept. 21-22,” continued Kutufaris. “The evaluation process started with OSHA reviewing safety programs maintained by the Safety Branch program managers to ensure that an effective safety management system is still in place. To validate the Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) presented in the office, the VPP team then conducted test site inspections and employee interviews. No deficiencies were identified, and OSHA approved NSWCPD for continued participation in the VPP as a Star Site.”
NSWCPD became the first Warfare Center certified as an OSHA VPP Star Site on Feb. 2, 2011, and was recertified the first time as a Star Site on May 27, 2014. To maintain eligibility for VPP Star participation between onsite evaluations, NSWCPD must conduct an annual safety self-assessment and continually implement program improvements. Conducting an onsite evaluation during a pandemic is no easy task, but the Safety Branch stepped up to the plate.
“The first step was to send OSHA the NSWCPD pandemic procedures and policies,” noted Safety Specialist Al D’Imperio. “OSHA reviewed the procedures with the VPP inspection team to ensure that they were comfortable with coming onsite. The next step was to determine and schedule where the inspection team could visit while still maintaining COVID-19 protocol. The final, and most difficult task, was coordinating/scheduling management and employee interviews for the inspection team. The VPP inspection team was able to interview 81 people, either while onsite or virtually. This number of interviews surpassed the inspection team’s goal.”
Kutufaris noted that executing successful safety protocols requires cooperation and input from all departments at NSWCPD.
“VPP is a true team effort between management, employees, and labor to keep the safety culture at the highest level,” he said. “Continued participation in VPP as a Star site is OSHA’s official recognition of the sustained efforts put forth by everyone at NSWCPD to maintain exemplary occupational safety and health.”
“More than 10 years ago, senior leadership endorsed the VPP as the safety management system for NSWCPD,” added Kutufaris. “VPP has remained part of the safety culture as NSWCPD’s mission has expanded and workforce has grown. OSHA’s continued approval of NSWCPD as a VPP Star site recognizes the commitment of our management and workforce to maintain and improve safety and health, and the effective programs we have in place.”
For more information about OSHA VPP Guidance, please visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,700 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.
| Date Taken: | 11.30.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.30.2020 10:28 |
| Story ID: | 383920 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 64 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NSWCPD Becomes First Warfare Center to Earn Voluntary Protection Program Star Certification Three Times, by Brentan Debysingh, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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