L’Oreal USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the world’s largest beauty company, announced last November its commitment to gain “Star†status for all nine of its U.S. manufacturing sites in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program in the next five years. L’Oreal is believed to be the first foreign firm to set such a goal for all its U.S. industrial plants.
What prompts a company like L’Oreal to go to the time and trouble to attain VPP “Star†level status? Compiling reams of ISO-like documentation. Opening up to OSHA auditors. Pledging to fix whatever is found wrong. Driving injury and lost-time rates below three-year industry averages.