OSHA deputy: “VPP is an integral part of the toolbox”
“VPP will have the Department of Labor’s full support”
OSHA’s long-standing VPP, born during the Reagan years and which received staunch support during Republican years in the White House (2000-2008), came under scrutiny as the Obama administration, with a more open ear to organized labor’s concerns about the VPP use of incentive and behavior-based safety programs, took the helm.
OSHA officials, after initially appearing to agree with some of labor’s criticisms, to the point VPP’s survival was questioned, have publicly spoken in what could be called “politically correct” vanilla language. VPP is a political hotspot for the agency, with the powerful chemical and oil industries much in favor of voluntary programs and organized labor much less enamored.