Forever Resort’s Grand Canyon Lodge Receives Voluntary Protection Program Certification

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. In May of 2021, The Grand Canyon Lodge – North Rim is the first hospitality company in the State of Arizona to have received the prestigious VPP Certification from OSHA. “It is a great honor to receive this certification,” said John Schoppmann, Executive Vice President of Forever Resorts. “Congratulations go to our hardworking and dedicated team at Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim.”In VPP, management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a system focused on four main elements: (1) hazard prevention and control; (2) worksite analysis; (3) training; and (4) management commitment and worker involvement. To participate, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals. An applicant site may not have open OSHA investigations or pending or open contested citations or notices of appeal at the time of application. VPP participants are re-evaluated every three to five years to remain in the programs. VPP participants are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status. In practice, VPP sets performance-based criteria for a managed safety and health system, invites sites to apply, and then assesses applicants against these criteria. OSHA’s verification includes an application review and a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts. OSHA approves qualified sites to one of three programs:

• Star: Recognition for employers and employees who demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards; and the development, implementation and continuous improvement of their safety and health management system.

• Merit: Recognition for employers and employees who have developed and implemented good safety and health management systems but who must take additional steps to reach Star quality.

Demonstration: Recognition for employers and employees who operate effective safety and health management systems that differ from current VPP requirements. This program enables OSHA to test the efficacy of different approaches.

The VPP program has proven statistical evidence highlighting VPP implementations. The average VPP worksite has a Days Away Restricted or Transferred case rate of 52% below the average for its industry. These sites typically do not start out with such low rates. Reductions in injuries and illnesses begin when the site commits to the VPP approach to safety and health management and the challenging VPP application process. Having fewer injuries and illnesses mean greater profits as workers compensation premiums and other costs are substantially reduced. Entire industries benefit as VPP sites evolve into models of excellence and influence practices industry-wide. For more information on how your company can obtain VPP status, please visit https://www.osha.gov/vpp.