ASSP and VPPPA to Collaborate on Worker Safety

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 15. The 18-month agreement brings the safety organizations together to advance workplace safety and health with a focus on assisting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in modernizing and expanding its longstanding Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).

The strategic partnership was finalized in advance of both organizations participating that day in an OSHA stakeholder meeting about improving the VPP.

The MOU objectives include providing OSHA with a framework that identifies components of occupational safety and health management system consensus standards that meet requirements for VPP qualification and requalification. ASSP and VPPPA will also work together to develop recommendations for a construction and demolition-specific VPP.

“Many of our VPPPA member employees – myself included – are also ASSP members, so coming together to work toward our shared goal of enhancing workplace safety and health through the Voluntary Protection Programs is a natural fit,” said Chris Williams, VPPPA Executive Director, CAE. “By combining efforts to develop pathways for other OHSMS users and underserved industry sectors to take part in the VPP, we can positively impact the program’s long-term future.”

The standards emphasized in the MOU include U.S.-based ANSI/ASSP Z10 and global standard ANSI/ASSP/ISO 45001. Other standards related to the efforts around construction and demolition operations include ANSI/ASSP A10.1 (pre-planning), ANSI/ASSP A10.33 (multiemployer worksites), ANSI/ASSP A10.38 (general occupational safety and health management principles) and ANSI/ASSP A10.39 (auditing).

For more information, visit https://www.assp.org.