The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) initiative to encourage organizations to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses through effective health and safety management systems. Sospes’ Environmental, Health & Safety Management software helps your organization comply with regulatory and industry requirements while transforming the business as a result of continuous improvement projects leading your organization on the path to becoming VPP certified.
VPP: What it Takes to Become a Star Site
About VPP
The purpose of VPP certification is to recognize worksites with outstanding safety and health management systems and promote effective worksite-based safety and health and cooperation among government, industry and labor.
Benefits of VPP:
- Improve employee engagement leading to safer working conditions and better productivity
- Improve existing safety and health programs through the internal and external reviews required under VPP
- Reduce worker’s compensation costs and decrease absenteeism
- Improve employee participation in all aspects of the business
- Improve perception of the business as a good place to work
- Participant sites generally experience 60% to 80% fewer lost workday injuries than an average worksite of the same size in the same industry
Become VPP Certified
Employers benefit directly from being VPP certified because fewer injuries and illnesses result in greater profits as workers’ compensation premiums and other costs decrease. Organizations with VPP sites that stand out within their industries benefit as models of excellence which often lead to financial gains.
Organizations apply for certification based on the established performance-based criteria. Verification includes an application review and a rigorous onsite evaluation.
Application must include the four core VPP elements:
- Management leadership and employee involvement
- Worksite analysis
- Hazard prevention and control
- Safety and health training
Why Sospes?
Digitizing your safety program is a huge time saver for organizations seeking VPP certification. Sospes currently has numerous customer sites that are VPP certified and has received praise from industry experts about its ease of use and benefits for managing VPP status.
Sospes’ Safety Management software is designed to help you and your employees collect OSHA Recordkeeping information quickly and easily. It automates and digitizes worksite analysis and gives safety professionals a place to manage hazard prevention and controls. It also empowers employees to become a part of the process through the easy-to-use mobile app which creates real-time flow of information between employees and management.
Sospes can also help you manage employee certifications that are received from training and licensing. The Sospes Certifications Manager automatically alerts management and employees when their certifications are coming due. It also creates a real-time report listing topics on which employees have been certified that can be easily accessed when VPP auditors request it!