The National Voluntary Protection Program Participants’ Association (VPPPA) Conference is a leading forum for more than 3,100 occupational environmental, health and safety professionals, hourly workers and managers. Now in its 24th year, the event will be held August 24-28, 2008, at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif.

VPPPA conference participants represent a wide variety of individuals from Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) sites, sites seeking VPP approval and organizations striving to improve their safety and health management systems. Participants come from professions that include industrial hygienists, union representatives, consultants, environmental health specialists, human resource managers, and government agency representatives.

The four-day conference includes featured speakers from corporate America; two full days of workshops addressing current safety, health and environmental issues; the VPPPA Expo 08 with more than 200 vendors; evening receptions and other networking activities.

What is VPP?

Created by OSHA in the early 1980s, the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) is designed to promote effective worksite-based safety and health. In the VPP, management, labor and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system. Approval into VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health.

For more information on becoming a VPP member, contact OSHA’s Office of Partnerships and Recognition at (202) 693-2213.

VPPPA Expo 08

The VPPPA Expo, held in conjunction with the Annual National VPPPA Conference, offers conference attendees direct access to innovative safety, health and environmental products and services from leading manufacturers. VPPPA Expo 08 is expecting to attract over 180 exhibiting companies.

Visit the association’s vendor directory at http://www.vpppa.org/products/vendorSearch.cfm to search through the affiliate members.

Conference agenda

With more than 100 conference sessions and workshops to choose from, VPPPA participants will have plenty of opportunity to learn about improving workplace safety.

On Sunday, Aug. 26, “Pre-Conference Day,” a free pre-conference workshop, “Mentoring: Teaching Others to Mentor - Train the Trainer Workshop,” will describe what the VPPPA mentoring process is all about. A variety of eight-hour “Skill Builder Workshops” will also be available on Sunday (which require additional registration fees). One such workshop, the VPP Application Workshop, offers a hands-on experience in VPP application development.

From Monday through Wednesday, in addition to the many educational workshops, the conference agenda includes an annual meeting of the VPPPA membership, general sessions, networking luncheons, and regional networking meetings.

The VPPPA conference has averaged about ten percent annual growth in attendance since 2001, according to the VPPPA National Office.

Meet your host

The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA) is dedicated to cooperative occupational safety, health and environmental management systems. The nonprofit, charitable organization is a member-based association, providing a network of over 1,600 companies and worksites that are involved in or in the process of applying to OSHA’s or the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Programs, as well as those of other government agencies that are developing or implementing cooperative recognition programs.

VPPPA chapters exist in all of the ten OSHA regions. Each chapter is headed by an elected board of directors that consists of safety and health leaders — both hourly and salary employees from union and non-union sites.

Outside the conference

The VPPPA has secured the Anaheim Marriott as its conference hotel, with the Hilton Anaheim as the overflow hotel. Both hotels are conveniently located next to the Anaheim Convention Center and are within easy walking distance to the facility. The hotels are just two blocks from Disneyland® Park, Disney’s California Adventure® and Downtown Disney® District, and approximately 45 minutes to downtown Los Angeles.

Anaheim is centrally located to a vast array of attractions that would appeal to a wide range of interests. The Discovery Science Center, Knott’s Berry Farm® Theme Park, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Universal Studios® Hollywood, Bowers Museum and The Wine Artist are just a sampling of the many places to visit while in Southern California. Go to www.anaheimoc.org for a full slate of things to see and do in Orange County.

Show at a glance:

What: 24th Annual National VPPPA Conference
Where: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif.
When: Conference: Aug. 25-28, 2008
Pre-Conference Workshops: Aug. 24, 2008
Hot Topic: Cooperative occupational safety, health and environmental management systems.

Contact info:
VPPPA Inc.
7600-E Leesburg Pike, Ste. 440
Falls Church, VA 22043-2004
(703) 761-1146
(703) 761-1148 fax
Administration@vpppa.org
http://www.vpppa.org

How to register: To register, visit http://www.vpppa.org. For registration questions, contact the VPPPA Registrar at (703) 761-1146 ext. 304 or email Registration@vpppa.org

Getting there: Three area airports service Orange County.
From Orange County/John Wayne Airport (SNA) (a 15-mile drive), take 55N to 5N, exit Katella, and turn left. Go to Harbor Blvd., turn left. Turn right on Convention Way. Anaheim Marriott is on left side, Hilton Anaheim is on the right, the convention center is straight ahead. Estimated taxi fare: $35 (one way).
From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (a 35-mile drive), take 405S to Garden Grove Fwy. East, exit on Harbor North. Turn left on Convention Way. Estimated taxi fare: $85 (one way).
From Long Beach Municipal Airport (LGB) (a 20-mile drive), take 405S to 22 E, exit on Harbor North. Turn right on Harbor, and left on Convention Way. Estimated taxi fare: $45 (one way).