Lockheed Martin MST in Manassas earns 4th recertification as a Virginia STAR worksite

Lockheed Martin MST in Manassas has been reapproved as a STAR Worksite under Virginia’s Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), according to C. Ray Davenport, Commissioner for Virginia’s Department of Labor and Industry.

This is Lockheed Martin MST’s fourth recertification after being originally approved as a STAR Worksite on November 2, 1998, a press release said.  The STAR rating is the highest award in this program.

The news release quoted Davenport as saying, “The management and employees of this facility have exemplified true leadership in the area of occupational safety and health, and I commend them for embracing the cooperative spirit of VPP.

As part of the recognition for maintaining STAR status under VPP, the worksite is entitled to fly the VPP “STAR Worksite” flag.  The Lockheed Martin MST Manassas site is the first Lockheed Martin, VPP STAR site in Virginia and currently one of ten for Lockheed Martin, in the United States. 

VPP includes two levels of participation – Merit and STAR - with STAR being the highest. 

Similar voluntary protection programs are conducted in other states across the country.

The process for reaching STAR status is extensive to ensure that only the best programs qualify.  Since the inception of Virginia’s VPP in 1996, only 62 STAR worksites have been recognized, and only 44 Virginia companies currently retain the STAR/MERIT designation.  “Lockheed Martin MST has set a standard of excellence that is second to none,” the press release said.

In Virginia VPP, a cooperative relationship is formed between the VOSH program, the employer and employees, which include the agreement of company leaders to operate exceptional safety and health management systems that meet a rigorous set of occupational safety and health criteria.

Employers agree to voluntarily participate in the program and to directly involve employees in all aspects of the company’s safety and health management systems.  Requirements include an extensive application process, submission of written safety and health policies and procedures, demonstration of successful implementation of those programs through injury and illness rates that are below the national average for the employer’s industry, and an intensive weeklong evaluation by a team of VPP experts.
 
According to the news release, businesses that participate in VPP substantially improve the safety and health protections for thousands of Virginia employees through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents. 

VPP STAR sites regularly report decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates, and improved productivity and employee morale.  Reducing private sector employer costs associated with injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents enhances a company’s economic viability and competitiveness, and increases available capital for reinvestment, expansion and new hiring.

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry offers two voluntary protection recognition programs – the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) for businesses of 250 employees or more and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) for businesses of 250 employees or fewer.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Department of Labor and Industry (doli.virginia.gov) closest office or by calling Milford Stern, VPP Program Manager at (540) 562-3580, ext. 123 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and Jennifer Rose, CSP, Consultation Program Manager (for SHARP) at 804-786-8707 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).