Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
The Department of Energy (DOE) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) is a special program designed to promote safety and health excellence through cooperative efforts among employees, managers, and government at DOE contractor sites. The program represents a visible and measurable indicator of DOE's high priority for operating in the safest way possible.
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) officially gained participation status in the VPP program in 2003 as the next logical growth step in its maturing safety program based on the Integrated Safety Management System.
Originally launched by DOE in January 1994, the VPP program was designed to promote improved safety and health performance through public recognition of outstanding programs.
Participation in the VPP program provides several benefits to participating sites, including improved labor/management relations, reduced workplace injuries and illnesses, increased employee involvement, improved morale, reduced absenteeism, and public recognition.
VPP consists of five hallmark values:
- Management Leadership
- Employee Involvement
- Work Site Analysis
- Hazard Prevention and Control
- Safety and Health Training
Management Leadership
ORISE leadership initiated the original drive to pursue VPP certification and continues to set the tone for consistent pursuit of safety in all aspects of ORISE operations. ORISE Program Director Ron Townsend has set a goal for ORISE to have zero accidents "by choice, not by chance."
Employee Involvement
Although management provides leadership in safety, the VPP program depends heavily on each employee to hold safety in the highest regard for the program to succeed. To encourage complete participation in the company's safety program, each ORISE staff member is empowered to stop work at any point where they do not feel safe.
Likewise, employees are rewarded for taking initiative in making their work environment safer. The VIPPY Awards for Continuous Improvement are given periodically to ORISE staff who demonstrate outstanding initiative in helping make ORISE a safe place to work.
Employee involvement also involves making safety a top priority away from the workplace as well. One program designed to help employees take safety home is an annual safety drawing contest where children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of ORISE employees are encouraged to submit original artwork on a safety theme. The winning entries are then printed on a safety calendar that is distributed to every ORISE employee and program participant.
Work Site Analysis
VPP also includes coverage of radiation protection/nuclear safety and emergency management because of the type and complexity of DOE facilities. While most ORISE facilities consist of typical business office environments, there are several activities and facilities within ORISE that involve the handling of radioactive or other toxic substances. Regardless of the type of work being performed, every work environment is thoroughly analyzed for all potential safety hazards.
Every program and support department at ORISE has a set of job hazard analysis (JHA) documents that detail each activity that has safety implications and what controls should be used to prevent any safety incidents. JHA's are distributed to each employee during their orientation period and are always available from Safety 1st, ORAU's safety-themed intranet site.
Hazard Prevention and Control
Each building at ORISE has an assigned site safety representative (SSR). These employee volunteers are charged with helping keep safety topics in the spotlight with their co-workers as well as monitoring their work areas to identify potential safety problems. All SSRs also meet quarterly to discuss safety issues and receive continuing education on safety topics.
Safety and Health Training
Web-based health and safety training modules are a mandatory part of each ORISE employee's orientation training. As part of a continuous improvement effort, the ESH Department also sponsors numerous Web-based training modules each year that are devoted to health and safety topics and are mandatory for each ORISE employee.
In addition, the ESH staff and Occupational Health staff work together to offer CPR training to employees on a regular basis and sponsor a health and safety fair each year.
