The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Department Recertifies Honeywell Aerospace Sky Harbor site with VPP Designation

(Phoenix, Ariz. – Nov. 13, 2015) – On Friday, Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m., the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) Consultation Department recertified Honeywell Aerospace, 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.

ADOSH held a VPP recertification ceremony, where the Honeywell Aerospace Sky Harbor site was recertified with the STAR designation and was presented with a new VPP plaque and flag. During the ceremony, Dale Schultz, chairman of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, Bill Warren, director of ADOSH and Jessie Atencio, assistant director and consultation and training program manager at ADOSH all spoke on the significance of a VPP achievement and its importance to the State of Arizona.

“Recertifying the Honeywell Aerospace Sky Harbor site is more than just proof of its commitment to safety. It’s a proof the company cares about the well-being of its employees and fostering a safe worksite,” said Atencio. “I’m pleased to recertify this site, and I look forward to seeing it continue to pave a path of what it means to be a safe and healthy worksite.”

VPP is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) highest program of recognition across the United States. It recognizes employers and workers in private and federal workplaces who have exemplified effective safety and health management systems to achieve injury and illness rates that are more than 50 percent below the national average.

“At Honeywell, we protect our employees and workplace communities by emphasizing health and safety in all aspects of our business. By integrating our Health, Safety & Environmental management system into the Honeywell Operating System, safety is woven into our everyday life. As a result, our employees are engaged, work safely and ensure that those around them do the same,” said Tim Behrens, senior manager for health, safety & environment at the Honeywell Aerospace Sky Harbor site. “Our employees are an example of how we value safety as a core value of our operations, and the VPP recertification of Honeywell Aerospace’s Sky Harbor site is the direct result of our employees’ continuing commitment to operational excellence and validation of our continuous improvement journey.”

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.

Currently, only 38 Arizona companies out of more than 135,000 are VPP “Stars.” To qualify for VPP status, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo an onsite evaluation. VPP participants and sites earning the STAR Site designation are re-evaluated every three to five years.

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 130,000 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.