Delta Earns Merit Status in OSHA's VPP

May 10, 2001
Delta Air Lines has become the first major commercial airline to\r\napply for and receive Merit status under OSHA's Voluntary Protection\r\nProgram .

Delta Air Lines has become the first major commercial airline to apply for and receive Merit status under OSHA''s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

In July 1999, Delta''s Engine, Component and Ground Support Equipment Maintenance departments began an initial self assessment in order to achieve this status. Current safety and health processes were checked against the VPP criteria.

Working in conjunction with OSHA, a Delta implementation team established a plan to meet the program''s standards, and submitted its application on April 26, 2000.

During a mid-May 200 site visit, OSHA''s assessment team verified that Delta''s Engine Component and Ground Support Equipment Maintenance departments had met the VPP entry level standards.

OSHA recently recognized Delta for achieving Merit status by presenting the company with the Merit status flag and certificate of completion.

Davis Layne, OSHA''s acting administrator, presented the flag.

"Delta''s Technical Operations Division has shown that it can deliver topnotch maintenance on a large fleet of commercial aircraft while preserving the well-being of its employees," said Layne. "Technical Operations is a model for others who want to improve their safety and health programs."

Delta''s Technical Operations Division, staffed by more than 11,700 aviation maintenance professionals around the world, provides maintenance and engineering support services for Delta''s fleet of nearly 600 aircraft and a number of aviation industry customers.

Delta, which was judged against qualifying standards, will be responsible for continuing to manage its current VPP objectives.

Once those objectives are met, the company can then be granted Star status, pending a OSHA review.

Star status is the highest level of the VPP initiative.

OSHA began the VPP program in 1982 as a way to enhance the safety performance standard of organizations and people by recognizing and promoting effective safety and health management in the workplace.

Today, organization such as General Electric, Allied Signal, Lucent Technologies, Texaco, Dow, IBM and Midas represent more than 600 business units involved in the VPP program.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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