Photo By Keith Hayes | (Left) Carlos Ramirez, clerk, Base Safety Office, reviews safety signage with Ruby...... read more read more
Ruby Adams, safety technician aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., was selected as the Voluntary Protection Program’s Region IX Special Government Employee of the Year once again and the 2018 Department of Defense Voluntary Protection Programs Achievement Award winner, which will be formally announced at VPP Participants Association Safety Summit at the end of August.
“This is the sixth time in as many years that our base has achieved the Region IX SGE award and a National nomination,” said Ray Aguilar, base safety director. “It’s also the fourth time in a row that Ms. Adams was selected as the Region IX SGE of the Year. The competition is very high for both of the coveted awards based on feedback I have received.”
In order to maintain the safety and efficiency of military and civilian personnel, the Department of Defense encouraged bases to achieve safety management systems recognition through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program. As of 2018, there are 57 DoD sites with OSHA VPP Star recognition. As part of the program, DoD employees can obtain specialized training to become Special Government Employees, which affords them the opportunity to spearhead safety functions on their own facility, but also to travel to other locations to conduct inspections with other OSHA SGE certified employees.
Adams credits much of her success to her extensive safety knowledge, SGE experiences, and valuable networking with the OSHA managers.
“I am actively involved with the Region IX VPP Participants Association Planning Committee, too, as well as the Labor and Management Committee for the past six years,” Adams explained. “The Planning Committee meets via teleconference on a monthly bases to plan upcoming Region IX Safety Summits which involves recruiting workshop presenters, exhibitors, keynote speakers, and securing sponsorship for food, music, golf tournament, and give-a-ways during the summit. I’ve had a great working relationship with Region IX VPPPA Planning Committee members and partake in whatever I can to ensure a successful summit.”
In March 2018, Adams was able to request and secure a Walking Color Guard from Mira Mar Air Station for opening ceremonies at the Region IX Safety Summit.
“The color guard happened to be an all-female color guard,” she said. “How exciting was that? The young ladies had never been to a VPP Safety Summit and were intrigued with the possibilities of VPP at their own facility one day.”
The Region IX Planning Committee is comprised of 10 team members and each member is delegated tasks for the summit plan and work throughout the year to meet a deadline and bring it all together. Eventually, all completed tasks are accomplished and the end result is a successful summit.
“Region IX covers Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Nevada,” Aguilar explained. “Ruby has stepped up to every task and challenge that I have asked of her without question. It is easy for me to write her up for these awards as I simply describe what she does for the base and others. I do have to give much credit to Mr. Green at S-4 as he allowed Ruby to participate as an SGE very frequently while Ruby worked with him.”
Her dedication to the VPP platform is partly because she wants to make a difference with the base culture and advocate safety wherever possible. One of the benefits is being able to work with outstanding safety professionals and individuals who share best practices, processes, assisting organizations to embrace VPP.
“I’ve had some incredible experiences and networking during my OSHA audits,” she said. “It has afforded me the opportunity to go out on OSHA audits, work closely with other OSHA leads and gain from their perspectives. This individual award along with the installation award is meant to encourage a continuous positive safety culture change, and to recognize the hard work of the DoD installations and individuals committed to VPP. The nominees were outstanding making it difficult for the evaluators.”
She continues to mentor recertified sites and provide them valuable information to assist them with their continuous improvement processes. Throughout her service, Adams has conducted fourteen formal VPP certifications and recertification assessments with OSHA; participated on three VPP readiness assessments with the DoD Safety Management Center of Excellence; conducted four site assist visits to mentor DoD facilities as well as assisted in instructing the SGE course at Region IX VPP Safety Summit in San Francisco.
“I was directly involved with the successful VPP certifications of MCLB Albany and Blount Island Command and the recertification’s of National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center, and Defense Logistics Agency Norfolk,” Adams said. “Last year, I participated in four OSHA audits with Hendrickson Trailer Suspension in Mitchell South, Dakota, 3M Company in South Dakota, Marvin Windows in Denver, Colorado, and Monsanto on Kilhei, Hawaii.”
Though her daily office duties are primary, she seeks opportunities to select interesting sites for evaluation, and an opportunity to connect with what she calls “the best of the best in VPP.”
“I am truly grateful to have a wonderful safety team supporting me as I continue to learn more about the safety world and the OSHA 29 Code of Federal Regulations, General Industry Regulations and Standards, that guides me,” Adams said.
“Ruby is a pleasure to work with and she is always looking for ways to make things better and to learn,” Aguilar said. “Her actions speak for her. She has great character, and is a solid member of the safety team.”
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2018 14:04 |
| Story ID: | 288018 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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