RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 10, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Commissioner Gary G. Pan announced today that the BC Wood Products in Ashland, Virginia, has been certified as a Virginia SHARP Worksite under the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), the agency’s highest level of recognition for excellence in safety and health management systems for small businesses.

Virginia Dept. of Labor and Industry
Image Caption: Virginia Dept. of Labor and Industry.

“This outstanding achievement in occupational safety and health has come through the dedication and hard work of BC Wood Products employees and management. I commend BC Wood Products for embracing the cooperative spirit of the SHARP program, and congratulate them on their hard-earned certification as a Virginia SHARP Worksite,” said Commissioner Pan.

BC Wood Products commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for its employees is demonstrated by its low injury and illness rates. The Ashland facility has a total three-year average for the TCIR (Total Case Incident Rate for injuries and illnesses) of 1.5 compared with a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national rate of 5.1, representing a TCIR rate 71% lower than the national average for the industry. The site’s three-year average DART rate (Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred injury and illness cases) is .9, compared with the 3.5 national rate, which is 72% below the national average for the industry.

As part of the recognition for achieving Virginia SHARP status, the worksite is entitled to fly the Virginia “SHARP Worksite” flag. The process for reaching Virginia SHARP status is extensive to ensure that only the very best companies qualify. Currently, there are only 14 Virginia SHARP sites in the state. BC Wood Products site has set a standard of excellence that is second to none.

Virginia businesses that participate in SHARP substantially improve safety and health protection for thousands of Virginia employees through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatal accidents. SHARP worksites regularly report decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates (an average of approximately 50% below the respective industry average), and improved productivity and employee morale. Reducing private sector employer costs associated with injuries, illnesses, and fatal accidents enhances a company’s economic viability and competitiveness, and increases available capital for reinvestment, expansion, and new hiring.

DOLI operates six recognition programs. These include:

1. Virginia STAR is a cooperative relationship between the VOSH program, the employer, and the employees that include the agreement of company leaders to operate exceptional safety and health management systems that meet a rigorous set of occupational safety and health criteria. Participating employers agree to voluntarily participate in the program and to directly involve employees in all aspects of the company’s safety and health management systems. Requirements include an extensive application process, submission of written safety and health policies and procedures, demonstration of successful implementation of those programs through injury and illness rates that are below the national average for the employer’s industry, and an intensive weeklong inspection by a team of VPP experts.

2. Virginia BEST (Building Excellence in Safety, Health and Training) is a strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Associated General Contractors of Virginia (AGCVA) that recognizes AGCVA members who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses, and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia.

3. Virginia BUILT is a new strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia (ABCVA) and is designed to encourage and recognize ABC-VAmembers who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses, and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia. The Virginia BUILT program incorporates the ABC STEP program (Safety Training Evaluation Process)as the gateway to participation in Virginia BUILT.

4. Virginia CHALLENGE is a formal three stage recognition program that dramatically improves safety and health at the worksite and prepares the company to apply for Virginia STAR recognition.

5. VOSH–VADOC CHALLENGE is a strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) to recognize safety and health excellence at correctional facilities around the Commonwealth. Three stages of participation in VADOC Challenge prepare a site to apply for Virginia STAR recognition. Virginia has the only two correctional facilities in the nation to have received VPP STAR status, Augusta and Lunenburg Correctional Centers. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the DOLI office closest to you at www.doli.virginia.gov or contact Milford Stern, VPP Manager, at (540) 562-3580, ext. 123, or Milford.Stern@doli.virginia.gov.

6. The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) recognizes businesses of 250 employees or fewer and is administered by the DOLI Consultative Services Division. Contact Tracy Michaud, Consultation Program Manager, at (804) 786-8707 or tracy.michaud@doli.virginia.gov.

DOLI also offers free On-Site Consultation Services to help employers better understand and voluntarily comply with VOSH standards. Priority is given to high hazard workplaces with 250 or fewer employees and all services are offered to employers at no cost. On-Site Consultation Services helps employers identify and correct potential safety and health hazards by conducting walk-through surveys (without citations or penalties), abatement advice, on-site training, and program assistance to develop safety and health programs. Additional information about On-Site Consultation Services can be obtained by contacting the DOLI office closest to you at www.doli.virginia.gov or by contacting Tracy Michaud, Consultation Program Manager, at (804) 786-8707, or tracy.michaud@doli.virginia.gov.

The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program is financed in part by a grant from the U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), under §23(g) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The FFY21 Virginia State Plan is funded by a grant of $4,332,400 federal funds, which constitutes 50% of the State Plan budget excluding any state overmatch funds. Zero percent, or $0.00 of the State Plan budget, is financed through nongovernmental sources.

The Virginia On-Site Consultation Cooperative Agreement program is financed in part by a grant from the U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), under §21(d) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The FFY21 Virginia Consultation program is funded by a grant of $1,189,200 federal funds, which constitutes 90% of the Virginia Consultation program budget excluding any state overmatch funds. Zero percent, or $0.00 of the Virginia Consultation budget, is financed through nongovernmental sources.

News Source: Virginia Department of Labor and Industry