Bangor-based maintenance site receives OSHA recognition

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) nominated Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) Pacific Northwest as an OSHA
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) “Star” site July 11.
The VPP Star program recognizes organizations that have comprehensive safety and health management systems and a robust commitment
from labor, management and employees to continuous, cooperative safety relationships in the workplace.
“Being recognized as a Star Site is the culmination of long-term preparations and foundations laid over the past years by the workers, union
leaders, and management of the IMF,” said Capt. Jim Stone, IMF commanding officer.
IMF is a subordinate command of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility and is located on Naval Base Kitsap,
Bangor. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard received VPP Star status in April 2006.
“In order for the IMF to attain Star status, IMF workers, management and unions alike have to establish a long-term commitment to the
IMF VPP, build on their current success and programs in place that work and focus on areas for improvement,” said Dave Baker, OSHA
regional director.
“IMF has achieved a significant reduction in injury rates that are at or below the industry average, which is an OSHA requirement to be
a Star site. We have learned many best practices while visiting IMF which will be exported to other industrial activities.”
VPP was initiated by OSHA 15 years ago as a way of encouraging companies to exceed the minimum OSHA safety requirements and was
designed to provide VPP Star Site candidates with a mechanism for attaining desired, enhanced safety performance.
“I am so proud of the men and women of the IMF,” added Stone. “This recognition is well deserved as they each recognized early on that
cultivating a culture of safety and health in our workplace is a fundamental role every one of us own.”