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76th PMXG workers commit to making VPP program successful

  • Published
  • By Ron Mullan
  • Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  Members of the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group came out in droves to Hollywood and Vine in Bldg. 3001 Friday, June 29, to a sign-up rally to help integrate the Voluntary Protection Plan program within the group. By the end of the day, nearly 100 people had signed up to serve on one of four committees.
   "We were very pleased at the turnout," said Capt. Darren McClary, deputy director, 546th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron, and member of the 76th PMXG VPP executive steering committee "the workers realize this is their program and they have a voice in making changes throughout the group."
   Prior to the rally, organizers held 40 "tailgate" sessions where three-person briefing teams, consisting of representatives from management, the workforce and the Union, explained to the more than 1,600 members of the 76 PMXG, what the program entailed. Each session closed with a question and answer period.
   The VPP program was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to recognize superior performance in the field of health and safety. The program consists of four key elements; management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and health and safety training.
   One point emphasized repeatedly by the briefing teams is employee involvement.
   "This is an employee-driven, not management-driven program," said Myra Testerman, an F100 gearbox machinist with the 548th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron. "Under VPP, employees will play a major role in the development and enforcement of safety and health policies and procedures."
   As with any new program that challenges the status quo, buy-in from the workforce, along with the support of management and the unions are the keys to affecting a culture change.
   To underscore management's commitment to the VPP program, Maj. Gen. Loren Reno, commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Todd Lambert, president, International Association of firefighters F-211 and James Schmidt, president, American Federation of Government Employees 916 signed a mentorship agreement on June 18. Tinker is the second Air Force base to sign an agreement; Robins AFB, Ga. being the first.
   "Safety is not something we take lightly," said Maj. Gen. Reno. "VPP is helping us improve our workplace by providing us a set of tools to do our job better...our warfighters depend on us to stay safe on and off the job."
   Also signing the agreement was Michael Le, Xerox plant manager. Xerox will mentor Tinker as the base implements the VPP program.
   While the VPP is new to Tinker, the program celebrated its 25th anniversary July 2. With nearly 1,800 participating companies and organizations, 47 from Fortune 200 companies, the VPP has impacted millions of workers and helped save countless lives in a wide array of industries according to OSHA. In the past 25 years, 862 private companies participating in the VPP have saved approximately $1 billion in health costs, said Dan Gamboa, safety manager, OC-ALC Safety office.
   The next step in the process for the 76th PMXG is to break down the four committees into sub-committees and assign tasks and projects. Some sub-committees will be tasked to conduct safety inspections. Others will research streamlining current hazard reporting procedures. Another area of concern is addressing existing safety hazards and eliminating them, said Ericka Thompson, F100 machinist, 546th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron.
   "VPP is going to be a great asset to our safety program," she said. "It gives the workers an outlet to voice their safety concerns."