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    Carderock achieves OSHA’s VPP Star Worksite recertification

    Carderock achieves OSHA’s VPP Star Worksite recertification

    Photo By Nicholas Brezzell | Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division Commanding Officer Capt. Mark...... read more read more

    WEST BETHESDA, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

    03.25.2019

    Story by Kelley Stirling  

    Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division

    Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) in West Bethesda, Maryland, has been recertified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Star Worksite. The recognition is the highest safety award that the federal government can bestow on a worksite.

    “Achieving VPP recertification is a significant achievement by the civilian employees at Carderock. We’re one of just over 2,300 recognized VPP worksites out of nearly 8 million worksites in the country to be recognized by OSHA. Our goal is to ensure that everyone goes home in the same condition as when they came to work at Carderock,” VPP Coordinator Wallace “Gator” Czapla said.

    Carderock achieved its original VPP Star Worksite certification in October 2014. To achieve Star Worksite recertification, Carderock had to maintain injury and illness rates below the Bureau of Labor Industry’s average for industry worksites conducting business similar to that of Carderock.

    The division also continued to support the elements and sub-elements of VPP certification: leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control and safety and health training. Carderock submitted annual reports to OSHA describing how it is continuously improving upon the prior years. Carderock then hosted an audit team of OSHA compliance assistance specialists and special government employees from other VPP worksites to come on base and review its safety management system documents; conduct formal and informal interviews of the employees; and observe the cadre of scientists, engineers, chemists, technicians and support personnel performing their work throughout Carderock’s facilities.

    “Given the complexity of the research, engineering and modeling work conducted here in West Bethesda, it might be easy to assume a facility with explosives, radiation, destructive testing and chemical laboratories that accepting that some injuries and illnesses will happen would be normal,” Czapla said. “On the contrary, Carderock integrates safety into our work processes making ensuring safety is equally as important as anything else we do. Achieving this prestigious safety award is a credit to the continued participation and support of safety and VPP by senior leadership, management and employees.”

    Developing and maintaining an effective safety management system requires leadership, commitment, safety committees and representatives throughout the site, especially considering the nature of the work conducted at Carderock.

    “It has been my great honor to work alongside our Safety Office and all those who come to work at Carderock every day to ensure that this is a safe place to work,” said Carderock Commanding Officer Capt. Mark Vandroff. “We have made safety in the workplace a top priority, and this continued recognition from OSHA just proves it. Carderock is proud to have been recognized, once again, as a Star Worksite.”

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 03.25.2019
    Date Posted: 03.25.2019 16:11
    Story ID: 315616
    Location: WEST BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US

    Web Views: 171
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN