March 2008 - Oldcastle Precast facility in Manchester, NY has successfully re-certified its OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Status, a certification achieved by fewer than 1,700 of the 7 million manufacturing facilities in the United States. The highest achievable level in VPP, the Star Program, is designed for exemplary worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems who have achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average of their respective industries.
The very first precast concrete manufacturer in the country to obtain VPP status, Oldcastle in Manchester became a Merit Worksite in March of 2003, then upgraded to a Star Worksite in November of 2004. There are only three precast concrete manufacturers in the country with VPP status, and all of them are Oldcastle Precast facilities. In addition to Manchester, NY, Oldcastle Precast locations in Auburn, WA and Wilsonville, OR also hold the VPP Star Status.
Every three to five years, all Star Worksites must be re-evaluated for ongoing performance and continuous improvement. Three OSHA inspectors spent three and a half days scrutinizing all written safety and training programs, and interviewing shop floor employees at the Manchester location. They were impressed with the knowledge and passion for safety demonstrated by each and every employee.
“Star recognition can only be possible when all employees, management to shop floor, live and breathe safety on a daily basis,” says Bonita Petti, Oldcastle Precast Safety Coordinator in Manchester, NY. “The commitment of our shop employees is what makes our VPP Status possible. Continuing VPP participation is a tribute to their dedication and hard work over the last five years to heighten safety awareness to a new level.”
Oldcastle Precast is the leading manufacturer of precast concrete and composites in the United States with more than 80 locations nationwide. Oldcastle’s parent company, CRH, plc, is headquartered in Ireland, and has operations in 28 countries, employing approximately 80,000 people at over 3,300 locations. For more information, visit online at www.oldcastleprecast.com.
