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DGMC recommended for VPP "Star" status

  • Published
  • By 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Wrapping up an intense week, the executive leadership of David Grant USAF Medical Center anxiously sat and waited, holding their collective breath.

After enduring an Occupational Safety and Health Administration outbrief where minutes seemed like hours, Peter Wilsey, OSHA Region IX team leader finally announced, "The team is recommending DGMC for 'Star' status."

Upon hearing these words, DGMC's leadership and staff erupted with excitement and applause, realizing the official announcement was something everyone had been preparing to hear since starting the journey of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program more than two years ago.

DGMC joins an elite group of only 2,236 businesses out of more than 70,000 nationwide to have achieved this level of performance. Less than ten hospitals in all 50 states have been recommended for VPP "Star" status for excellence in safety and health.

"This is truly an outstanding accomplishment -- a journey that has taken us years to accomplish with the support and mentoring of so many individuals," said Dr. (Col.) Lee Payne, 60th Medical Group commander. "Our partnership with OSHA and VPP will benefit our military, civilian, contract and volunteer personnel as we work to further reduce our injury and illness rates as well as assist other agencies, organizations and military installations on their VPP journey."

VPP was developed in 1982 by OSHA for use in private industry to enhance workplace safety and health and reduce injuries and illnesses in the workplace. When a Department of Defense task force was looking for a way to reduce the number of industrial mishaps and reduce the cost of personnel injuries and equipment damage, VPP was the program of choice.

OSHA credits the program with saving 862 companies an estimated $1 billion since 1982. Conversely, preventable injuries and illnesses have cost DoD an estimated $10 to $21 billion annually according to the National Safety Council.

"We have seen an overall 40 percent decrease in injury and illness rates at DGMC since VPP was introduced," said Margaret Banks, 60th Medical Support Squadron's safety manager. "In addition to DGMC, our primary contractor, J&J Maintenance Inc., has seen a decrease of more than 70 percent in their rates since they partnered with us on the VPP journey," said Ms. Banks.

According to Ms. Banks, the process started in 2007 with an initial assessment of safety and health programs at DGMC covering the four elements of VPP: Management, leadership, commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, Hazard prevention and control, and Safety and health training. With a strong patient-safety culture in place, DGMC's leadership felt VPP had the potential of creating a "Culture of Continuous Safety" for patients and employees, both on- and off-duty.

"There was a large slate of compliance issues and documentation requirements that had to be met under VPP, including breaking down traditional barriers of how we look at safety and health between employees, contractors, the union and volunteers," explained Ms. Banks. "The final hurdle was our on-site program evaluation where a team of OSHA evaluators conducted staff interviews, workplace evaluations and documentation review to determine if DGMC's safety and health programs are deemed excellent and meet the VPP criteria."

"This is a major step in the right direction to obtaining full "Star" site status and is due to the cooperation and hard work of many individuals and companies," said Lt. Col. Brian Sassaman, 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight commander and VPP site champion. "We look forward to celebrating our success by having a flag raising ceremony later this year after we receive final approval from the national VPP office."

"However, we know our journey will continue as we strive for continuous improvement in our Safety and Health programs," explained Colonel Sassaman. "VPP offers additional opportunities to increase awareness of our safety and health culture throughout DGMC, protecting our ultimate resource - our people."