AFRL recommits to safety with signing of VPP agreement

  • Published
  • By Kenji Thuloweit
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Air Force Research Laboratory Detachment 7 leaders and workforce representatives reaffirmed a commitment to cultivate a culture of safety.

AFRL Det. 7 commander, Col. Michael Platt, and Mike Huggins, AFRL Space and Missile Propulsion Division chief, met with George Amaya, the base labor union president, and signed the Voluntary Protection Program Agreement April 7, confirming an ongoing coalition among base partners to promote worksite safety through employee involvement.

"Our successes in expanding the VPP program are due to the great groundswell of support and enthusiasm from the employees themselves," said Mr. Huggins. "This was advertised as an employee-led program and it has blossomed here at the lab only because it was employee led."

"It is refreshing to see so many of the employees actually discussing personal and site safety as a routine matter rather than because of some new mandatory training or inspection. The 'volunteer' part of VPP cannot be overemphasized; it is what makes this program different and successful," said Mr. Huggins.

"The AFRL and the Union will ensure every working man and woman at the AFRL are guaranteed safe and healthful work conditions, preserving our human resources by encouraging employers and employees in their efforts to reduce the number of occupational safety and health hazards at their places of employment," said George Amaya, American Federation of Government Employees base president.

"It is the goal of American Federation of Government Employees Local 1406, to ensure the agency provides a safe and healthy working environment for the workforce."

VPP is a Department of Defense program developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to foster a safety culture among employees through understanding and awareness of safety issues.

The four pillars of VPP are: management leadership and employee involvement; worksite analysis; hazards prevention and control; and safety and health training. VPP relies on employees at every level to recognize workplace hazards and become accountable to help remedy safety issues.

AFRL employees can help identify worksite hazards and are welcome to report them by submitting a VPP "Near-Miss" form, which can be found on the base portal page under "Base Spotlights."

"Signing of a new commitment agreement was necessary due to a change-of-command at AFRL," said Dr. Ashwani Vij, AFRL Voluntary Protection Program manager.

"The military, civilian and union leadership see a great value to this program and have recommitted their full support in making VPP a part of employees' professional and personal arenas."