Employee dies at company that received OSHA’s VPP Star
December 15, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: Fatality, In this week's e-newsletter, Investigations, Latest News & Views, OSHA news, Voluntary Protection Program
As debate continues in Washington, DC, on how to fund OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), a recent case shows that the program isn’t a guarantee against workplace fatalities.
OSHA is investigating the death of an employee at Trinity Marine in Ashland City, TN.
Police say Julio Colon-Figueroa was found lying on the ground next to a large piece of metal when they arrived on the scene. He was bleeding from the head.
An officer started CPR until emergency personnel arrived.
Colon-Figueroa was pronounced dead en route to a local hospital.
OSHA is investigating.
Trinity Marine has refused to comment publicly on how the employee died.
In 2009, the company earned a Voluntary Protection Program Star from OSHA for outstanding safety performance and processes.
The Tennessean says this is the third work-related fatality at Trinity Marine in 13 years, according to its own archives.
A worker died in July 1997 from an electric shock while welding and another employee died in June 2000 after he was fatally electrocuted.
Two other workers were injured at the company in March 1998 and October 2002.
OSHA VPP Star status exempts companies from the agency’s programmed inspections, and to get into the program in the first place, a company needs a lower than average injury record for its industry.
VPP companies do have to undergo periodic OSHA inspections to retain their status.
OSHA wants companies to foot the bill for the VPP. Republicans in Congress want the government to continue to fund it.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has said improved oversight and controls on VPP would improve the program.
Do you think VPP companies should be exempt from programmed OSHA inspections? How should OSHA pay for VPP? Let us know in the Comments Box below.
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Tags: Congress, GAO, Trinity Marine, VPP
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December 19th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program is one of the most successful partnerships between industry and regulators to ever be devised. The only flaw in the program is actually OSHA’s method of determining the health and performance of safety programs. Using the OIR as a yardstick shows the number of recordable incidences but doesn’t consider the severity at all. This means that a company can have “lower than average” OIR statistics while at the same time suffering one, or even more, fatalities each and every year.
The OIR is a good method of leveling the playing field for industry, but a separate measure should be implemented to consider severity indexes as well.
December 21st, 2010 at 9:35 am
The OSHA VPP program is an excellent program it brings industry and government together to work cooperatively towards a common goal, “a SAFER workplace for all” .
However, it doesnot replace good leadership. As we all know a good, sound safety program starts with management, management leading the way and getting everyone on board, focused towards that common goal.
If safety committees are not supported or allowed to function, if employee safety suggestions are not encouraged or recognized, then employee safety will fall be the wayside.
Most facilities are pumped up during the “VPP” evulotion, festivities and the final celebration of acheiving a “STAR certification” unless that same enthusiasm is maintained the safety program will suffer and fade away, of course it is not an easy thing to maintain that level of enthusiasm.
After reading the article I felt as though this company lost sight of their initial goal to be among the safest companies is the nation.
It is not an easy task to make it into the OSHA VPP, if it were more companies would be. I believe out of the 2 million + companies eligble only 2600 are VPP.
It would appear the company in the article prepares for OSHA inspections to maintain their VPP status and has enough worked hours to maintain a TRIR, but not enough support to prevent injuries or even fatalities, perhaps a good near miss program, or a good hazard recognition program !!
December 27th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
I think the OSHA VPP program is a good program and should continue to be federally funded. The VPP program evaluates the total program, including employee participation. Companies that spend the time and money to achieve VPP (or other recognized certifications like OHSAS 18000) recognize safety as an investment.
As for the death, I believe a quality program reduces the risk of injury and death, but there is always risk to any activity. A fatal injury means an investigation should occur to make sure the company is still working to VPP standards, it does not mean the entire VPP program is a failure. I would rather work for this VPP company over a comparable company with nothing to show but recordable injury rates.