GE CitizenshipGE Transportation Plant in Erie Receives VPP Star
GE Transportation’s Erie plant has been re-certified as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) “Star” site by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A seven-member OSHA team conducted an intensive four-day audit by inspecting every area of the Erie business operations — from the shop floor to business offices.
“Employee health and safety is the primary concern of GE worldwide and VPP re-certification is the premier indicator of the Erie plant’s commitment to keeping a safe work environment for all of our more than 5,500 employees,” said Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE Transportation. “There is no doubt we have been receiving positive attention about our growth and success, but before a facility is successful, it must first be safe.”
VPP is an OSHA initiative and the nation’s highest safety certification. VPP Star certification signifies the plant achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average in its peer industry group and meets the VPP criteria for safety and health programs. Erie is one of the largest sites in GE and in the nation to receive this certification.
“With the significant growth this plant has experienced throughout the past years since our last visit, our team was amazed with employees’ positive outlook and their commitment to integrating safety into the very core of what they do,” said Peter Brown, OSHA lead VPP auditor. The Erie plant was first recognized as a VPP Star site in 2000 and has since maintained its status. OSHA audits work sites every three to five years for VPP re-certification.
“The health and safety of our employees is one of our top priorities,” said Mike Formaini, EHS manager at the Erie plant and VPP re-certification leader. “A safe workplace leads to better quality, higher customer satisfaction and greater personal safety for employees.”
In addition to physical inspections and evaluating safety procedures and policies, Formaini said OSHA auditors met with more than 850 GE Transportation employees, managers and contractors to conduct formal and informal interviews about their safety knowledge and the VPP initiative.
Expert Perspective
Before the first VPP certification in 2000, the injury rate at the Erie plant was 40 percent below the industry average and 67 percent below the industry average for more severe cases requiring days away from work. Despite an overall improvement in the industry average, the site now has an injury rate 75 percent lower than the industry average and 79 percent lower than the industry average for more severe cases.
“The Star recommendation is a true testament to all of our employees,” Formaini said. “Safety at GE is truly built into our culture around the world, thanks to the commitment from employees, unions and business leadership. VPP re-certification may come every few years, but taking care of ourselves, watching out for each other and making sure we stay safe for our families is something we have to do every day, every shift.”