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Get involved with safety, volunteer for VPP

  • Published
  • By 27th Special Operations Wing
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Cannon's involvement in the Voluntary Protection Program is still on the upswing, as the 27th Special Operations Wing Safety Office begins to organize its steering committee, getting individual units involved in the process of being more active in Cannon's safety program. 

Of the more than 7 million civilian and Department of Defense worksites that can participate in the VPP, Cannon is one of only 2,000 currently enrolled in the program. 

The Voluntary Protection Program is run by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and partners with businesses and worksites that are committed to going beyond the safety requirements of OSHA standards to protect their employees. 

A site assessment team was sent here in November to determine what strengths and weaknesses there were regarding safety processes at Cannon, some of which included the strengths of overall safety performances and a dedicated civil engineer for contractor oversight. 

The highest point in the program is "star" status, which may be "easy to get, but hard to keep," said Sheila Schulmeyer, a compliance assistance specialist with the OSHA Lubbock-area office. 

Star status means that the installation meets or exceeds all of the requirements put forth by the VPP.

To attain star status and keep it, employee involvement is key, said Ms. Schulmeyer. It's important to get people to know that this program is not some flavor of the month, she said. 

Once all the elements of star status are in place, the installation is expected to improve all the time, and by having employees actively involved helps us go forward as a unit, said Master Sgt. William Keely, the 27 SOW VPP coordinator. 

"It's a cultural mindshift with many different ways to implement the program," said Sergeant Keely. 

The steering committee currently being organized involves many different organizations on base and isn't limited to any particular rank or duty position.

Those who volunteer to be a part of the steering committee will help plan how to more effectively encourage all employees on base to be more safety-minded.

Though the safety office has contacted some units already for members to be on the committee, anyone that would like to represent their unit or just learn more about the program is encouraged to participate.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved, said Sergeant Keely. For more information on the VPP program or steering committee, call the VPP coordinator at 784-2581.

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