Daily CSR
Daily CSR

Daily CSR
Daily news about corporate social responsibility, ethics and sustainability

Black & Veatch Receives OSHA's VPP Star for Outstanding Workplace Safety



04/01/2024


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized Black & Veatch, a prominent global provider of critical infrastructure solutions, with its prestigious Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) star status. This acknowledgment signifies Black & Veatch's outstanding commitment to ensuring safety in the workplace.
 
The VPP Star designation is granted to companies that demonstrate exceptional safety and health management systems, effectively maintaining injury and illness rates below industry averages as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In this case, the OSHA award specifically lauds the achievements of Black & Veatch's telecommunications mobile workforce operating in New York and New Jersey.
 
John Johnson, vice president for Black & Veatch's environment, safety, health, and sustainability practice, emphasized the company's dedication to its personnel, including both employee-owners and subcontractors. He highlighted their core value of prioritizing everyone's safety, ensuring a culture where all workers return home safely each day. By fostering safe working conditions, Black & Veatch not only enhances project efficiency but also delivers benefits to clients and the communities they serve.
 
OSHA sets rigorous safety standards to protect American workers, and companies awarded the VPP Star distinction not only meet these requirements but also exceed industry norms in health and safety protocols. Black & Veatch's approach includes a behavior-based safety program, proactive feedback mechanisms engaging subcontractors to promote best practices, and a comprehensive "people matter most" safety initiative featuring targeted training sessions aimed at fostering safe behaviors.

“Black & Veatch is the first company in their industry to achieve VPP Star. Their accomplishment shows that a comprehensive safety and health program is essential in all businesses, and critical in high-risk industries,” said Richard Mendelson, OSHA regional administrator. “An effective program can be implemented in the most challenging workplaces when worker safety and health is a core value of the company.”