National Safety-and-Health Program Renewed

The APWU and USPS announced Sept. 10 that they have renewed their commitment to the Voluntary Protection Program, which is designed to improve safety and health at postal facilities and to reduce accidents and injuries. In an Aug. 30 agreement, the union and management agreed to extend the process for three years.

Since the program was implemented three years ago, 134 postal sites have been recognized for exhibiting a dedication to safety and health under a partnership between the APWU, USPS, and OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The program has improved safety-and-health training program and has opened a dialog about safety issues at the work-site level. At the participating facilities, innovative processes and OSHA-identified “best practices” were implemented.

At sites where the VPP has become an integral part of Local Safety & Health Committee culture, the number of reported injuries and work-related illnesses has declined an average of 35-40 percent since the cooperative effort began in 2004, according to OSHA data.

“It’s been shown that when the union and management participate, VPP strengthens the joint local safety committees and improves conditions on the work floor,” APWU President William Burrus said. “The renewal of the agreement is another positive step in assuring that our members are being provided with safe workplaces.”

The APWU-USPS agreement specifically requires that to be eligible to develop a VPP program, a site must have a safety-and-health committee and must implement the 1999 Correction of Unsafe Conditions Memorandum. Both the APWU local and local management must take part in the development of the OSHA program.

“The USPS and the APWU recognize the benefit of establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs at postal worksites,” the July 12, 2004, agreement says. “The parties agree that jointly promoting OSHA VPP at worksites will enhance worker safety and health.”

The success of the program is based on a commitment to protect the safety and health of postal employees, said APWU Safety and Health Specialist Corey Thompson. “It has required the meaningful involvement of local management and the local unions.”

To begin the process of participation in the VPP program, a joint safety-and-health committee must notify the Area S&H committee of their desire to participate. This can be accomplished by contacting their APWU Area VPP representative through the Regional Coordinator’s office or by contacting Thompson in the APWU Industrial Relations Department at 202-842-4273.