Witnesses and Members Back Bill to Codify OSHA Voluntary Protection Program

Supporters of the Voluntary Protection Program told the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections that codifying the program and dedicating funds to it would strengthen workplace safety across industries.

Chris Williams, executive director of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participant Association, told the panel that VPP ‘‘fosters a culture where safety is the core value on which every decision is made.’’ He said the program has broad participation and impact: VPPPA represents more than 1,400 members and, he said, ‘‘the nearly 1,900 sites across the country’’ that participate in VPP ‘‘share in our mission to raise the standard for workplace health and safety excellence.’’

The witnesses and several members pressed why the program should be made permanent. ‘‘VPP remains [a] discretionary program, meaning that it can be eliminated at any time for any reason,’’ Williams said, and he voiced support for HR 2844, the Michael Lindsey Voluntary Protection Program Act, which he said ‘‘aims . . . to make VPP a permanent program within OSHA’’ and would require a dedicated portion of OSHA funding for VPP.

Why th…