Rohm and Haas’s Elma plant achieves second term of top status for occupational safety and health STAR status – Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)

The Rohm and Haas Elma plant produces a specialty chemical used in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, detergents, soaps, bleach, pulp and paper, and for metal recovery by the electronics industry. On December 10, 2002, the Elma plant celebrated achieving the second term of VPP STAR status with an award ceremony followed by a catered luncheon for guests and employees.

The plant, located in Elma, WA at 4800 State Route 12, was the site for the ceremony. Kathy Schulz, Site Plant Manager; Rich Gibson, Site Safety and Health Manager; and Michael Wood, Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) Senior Program Manager, addressed the audience on the management commitment and employee involvement reflected in the quality of the site’s safety and health programs.

VPP status is approved by WISHA Services for worksite applicants who have achieved outstanding safety and health programs. Only 950 sites nationally have achieved this elite VPP status. The Rohm and Haas Elma plant has been a VPP STAR site since June 21, 1999.

Michael Wood, Senior Program Manager, along with representatives from WISHA, presented the prestigious VPP status flag and plague for continued recognition as a VPP STAR site.

Rohm and Haas Elma plant, which employ 77 workers, earned its VPP STAR through management leadership, commitment and extensive employee participation in developing a continuously improving safety and health program and safety record. The site applied for the VPP and received an on-site review by a team of five WISHA safety and health professionals to achieve VPP STAR status. The site maintains their status by continuous improvement of their safety and health programs, conducting comprehensive annual self-evaluations on their safety and health programs and receives a comprehensive onsite review every three years by WISHA staff.

"Achieving and maintaining VPP STAR status is a result of dedicated employees committed to continuous improvement in the health and safety process, which has been a cultural value of the site for many years" said Rich Gibson, Safety and Health Manager for the site.

Because the site produces chemicals and utilizes rail and truck shipments of raw materials and product the potential hazards at this site include mechanical, physical, electrical, thermal, fall hazards, confined spaces, high noise levels, chemical and ergonomic. Despite these hazards, the site’s three-year average injury/illness recordable rate and days away/restricted/transferred work incident rate for 1999-2001 is 70% below and 80% below, respectively, the national average for similar industries. As of Feb 2003, the site achieved a milestone of two years without an occupational injury/illness and three years without a time loss injury/illness.

WISHA’s review team observed that management and employees are committed to continuous improvements of the plant’s safety and health program. The safety and health program provides excellent protection from the potential hazards at this worksite.

*Pictured in Photo (from left to right): Mike Saville, Jim Beerbower, Chee Lee, Jim Davies, Fred Moore, Rich Gibson, Tony Terwilliger - holding the first VPP plague, Michaela Balderston, Lanny Duvall, Brian Thomas (on top of sign) - holding the new VPP plague, Kathy Schulz, Dick Jump, Ed Olson (kneeling), Wendy Goldsmith, Joe DeFrates, Dave Styger, Bill Rock (kneeling), Alan Phol (kneeling), Lynda Waltenburg.

For more information, contact Rich Gibson, Safety and Health Manager at Rohm and Haas, Elma Plant at (360) 482-8820. For more information about WISHA’s Voluntary Protection Program, in which WISHA and Washington companies work together to improve safety and health programs, call WISHA, Kenneth Werenko, Safety and Health VPP Specialist, (360) 902-5515.