What can we learn from a ten-year study of Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) worksites in Taiwan that found VPP worksites had a 49 percent lower frequency rate and an 80 percent lower severity rate compared to worksites not in the VPP?

Taiwan, like other developing countries, is finding success in applying an integrated approach to occupational safety and health management. Patterned after OSHA’s program, the Taiwan VPP dates back to 1994. In 2001 it was updated to include characteristics of international occupational health and safety management systems (such as OHSAS 18001). The main elements and audit scores for the Taiwan VPP are shown in Table 1.