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Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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Department of Labor

Mission

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assures the safe and healthful working conditions of more than 130 million workers by setting and enforcing protective workplace safety and health standards. OSHA also provides information, training, and assistance to employers and workers.

Designated Services

Applying for Voluntary Protection Programs recognition for exemplary safety systems

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The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognizes employers and workers in the private and public sectors with exemplary safety and health management systems and that maintain injury and illness rates below industry averages. VPP recognition is a prestigious designation, allowing employers to showcase their commitment to safety by submitting an application and undergoing a thorough on-site evaluation. On average fewer than 100 applicants seek VPP status annually. OSHA aims to encourage more employers to adopt effective safety and health management systems by learning from the over 1,200 active VPP participants.

Seeking reapproval for maintaining Voluntary Protection Programs-level safety systems

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Participants in the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) are re-evaluated every three to five years to maintain their status. For reapproval, program participants undergo a rigorous on-site evaluation, in addition to their annual self-evaluations, where OSHA verifies worksite safety and health programs to ensure that they continue to meet program standards. If successfully reapproved, VPP participants are allowed to publicly display their VPP status, such as by flying the VPP flag or using the logo on its website, and continue to be exempt from OSHA programmed inspections. Currently just over 1,200 companies hold VPP status, representing more than 400,000 workers.

Action Plans