| VPP: G-P Gypsum Tacoma Plant Receives STAR |  | |
Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Tacoma Plant achieves top recognition for occupational safety & health as Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) STAR.
The Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Tacoma plant produces gypsum wallboard of various thickness, widths, and lengths, from the G-P Gypsum ToughRock and DensGuard product lines. On September 25, 2003, the Tacoma plant celebrated achieving the prestige’s VPP STAR status with plant tours, an award ceremony followed by a catered luncheon for guests and employees.
The plant is located on fifteen acres in the Tacoma industrial port area, and was the site for the ceremony. Steve Ruff, Plant Manager acted as the MC for the ceremony. Dave Fleiner, President-Gypsum Division; Jeff Keilman, Chairperson site Safety and Health Committee; June Brothers, VP Corporate Safety Georgia-Pacific and Chairperson for the National Voluntary Protection Program Participants Association (VPPPA); and Michael Wood, Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) Senior Program Manager, addressed the audience on the leadership commitment, employee involvement and cooperation of working together in partnership resulted in the quality of the site’s safety and health programs.
Numerous speakers commented that our work on improving safety and health at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum plant is not done until we achieve “Zero Injuries” through our diligent commitment to continuous improvement.
VPP status is approved by WISHA Services for worksite applicants who have achieved outstanding safety and health programs. Only 1004 sites nationally have achieved this elite VPP status. The Georgia-Pacific Gypsum plant was approved as a VPP STAR site since August 5, 2003 and is WISHA’s fifth STAR site.
Michael Wood, WISHA Services, Senior Program Manager along with representatives from WISHA, presented the prestigious VPP status flag and plaque for continued recognition as a VPP STAR site.
Pictured in Photo (from left to right): Plaque presented by Michael Wood to Steve Ruff. |
Picture: Flag with site and WISHA personnel |
The Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Tacoma plant, which employs 104 workers, earned its VPP STAR through commitment, leadership 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 six 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.
The worksite’s potential hazards associated with gypsum wallboard production processes, including machinery with moving parts, electrical, thermal, energy, material handling, ergonomics, walking/working surfaces, confined spaces, high noise levels falls and hazardous chemicals. Despite these hazards, the site’s three-year average injury/illness recordable rate and days away/restricted/transferred work incident rate for 2000-2002 is 38% below and 1% below, respectively, the national average for similar industries.
WISHA’s review team observed that management and employees are committed to continuous improvements of the site’s safety and health program. The safety and health program provides excellent protection from the potential hazards at this worksite.
Picture – Flag with site personnel |
Picture – Celebration luncheon in Tent |
For more information, contact Bill Rippon, Safety Manager for the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Tacoma plant at (253) 627-2108 extension 16. 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.
