An assessment team from the Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) Center for Excellence visited Naval Station (NAVSTA) Everett Nov. 28 to create a plan for NAVSTA to qualify for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star certification.

The VPP, which was first used by private industry in 1982, promotes effective, worksite-based safety and health through cooperation between management, labor, and OSHA at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system.

“An important element of the program is ensuring all employees participate in the safety aspects of their job” said Dennis Ritko, member of the CTC assessment team. “This will give Sailors, DOD civilians and contractors the opportunity to participate in safety committees, investigations and self-inspections.”

“The CTC Team will be inspecting the base and giving a brief to the commanding officer of NAVSTA Everett this week” said Allen Butler, CTC team member. “We will gather our thoughts and say where NAVSTA Everett is on all of these points.  There will be strengths they have and things that they might want to work on. We’re going to make a plan for the next year or two, or however long it takes to get to the star level.”

The star level of certification is one of three levels of safety certification that the VPP offers, with the star signifying safety awareness and training above and beyond the required level of compliance.

“The program could be different,” said James Fernando, CTC team member. “The Navy has an exceptional safety program, but a lot of areas are more compliance-driven. We are looking at the things that Everett does that goes above and beyond that level of compliance.”

This initial assessment allows the team to interact and communicate about safety with people on every level about how to improve safety awareness. Ideas and plans made this week are expected to be implemented as early as one or two years in the future.

“The Secretary of Defense said in a memo that we are going to reduce preventable mishaps by 75 percent,” said Bill Higgins, East Sound Safety Manager. “VPP is the best means to get to that goal.”

“I think it’s important to strive for a better reputation,” said Religious Programs Specialist Seaman Clayton Greenwood of NAVSTA Everett. “We have a pretty good grasp on recycling and being electrically efficient, and I think that this is one more good thing.”