The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Department Presents the McCarthy Building Companies with the Voluntary Protection Program STAR Designation for Their Project at the City of Chandler Airport Water Reclamation Facility
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) Consultation Department presents McCarthy Building Companies, the City of Chandler Airport Water Reclamation Facility, as a “STAR Site” through the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Companies and jobsites that are awarded the STAR designation demonstrate exemplary and comprehensive safety and health management systems. This marks the first City of Chandler owned facility to receive STAR designation by ADOSH.
McCarthy Building Companies, a Phoenix-based general contractor, is currently managing a large-scale expansion project at the site, taking the facility from a 15 MGD wastewater treatment plant to 22 MGD.
The $105 million project, located at 905 E. Queen Creek Road in Chandler, is slated for completion in September 2014.
VPP STAR designation is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) highest program of safety recognition across all federal OSHA and state plan state OSHA offices. It recognizes employers and workers in private and federal workplaces who have exemplified effective safety and health management systems that achieve injury and illness rates more than 50 percent below the national average.
“The McCarthy Chandler Airport Wastewater Treatment Facility project is a great example of a safe working environment,” said Jessie Atencio, assistant director and consultation and training program manager for ADOSH. “Their team should be proud to be the first wastewater treatment facility in the state to be recognized as a VPP site.”
To qualify for VPP status, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo an onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals. VPP participants and sites earning the “STAR Site” designation are re-evaluated every three to five years in order to remain in the program. VPP participants are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status.
“McCarthy’s detailed planning has allowed the project to thrive during the construction and execution of high risk tie-in and bypass activities,” said John Pinkston, wastewater facilities superintendent for the City of Chandler. “Safety is the highest priority for McCarthy. Their safety record is outstanding and results in a safe workplace for City of Chandler employees.”
Currently, 34 Arizona companies are VPP “Stars” and they include: Central Arizona Project; Cintas Corporation; Ducommun LaBarge Technologies; Fluor Facility & Plant Services; Forever Resorts/North Rim Grand Canyon, LLC ; Frito Lay Service Center; General Electric Company/Mobile Water Inc.; Granite Construction Company; Hamilton Sundstrand; Honeywell Aerospace Avionics Product Center; Honeywell Aerospace Service; Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems; Honeywell Defense & Space; Honeywell Engines & Systems; Hunt Construction Group; Hunter Douglas, Inc. Horizontal Blinds; Insulfoam; Johns Manville; Maricopa Integrated Health Service; McCarthy Building Companies; Mesquite Power, LLC; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station; Printpack Inc.; Prudential Overall Supply; Raytheon Missile Systems – Palo Verde; Raytheon Missile Systems Airport Site; Raytheon Missile Systems; General Dynamics; Simmons Manufacturing Company; Special Devices; Tempe Honeywell Engines & Systems; TRW Vehicle Safety Systems; Yuma Cogeneration Associates.
About ADOSH
Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) operates under an approved plan with the U.S. Department of Labor to retain jurisdiction over occupational safety and health issues within Arizona, excluding mining operations, Indian Reservations, and federal employees. This jurisdiction encompasses approximately 2.1 million employees and 144,000 public and private establishments. For more information on ADOSH, Consultation Partnership Programs and the Industrial Commission of Arizona, please visit http://www.ica.state.az.us/ or call (602) 542-5795.
