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Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Description
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards. OSHA’s Federal and state health inspectors ensure the health and safety of more than 130 million workers. In 2019, OSHA administered 33,393 Federal inspections and 42,603 State Plan inspections.
Designated Services
- Applying for VPP recognition for exemplary safety systems
- Seeking reapproval for maintaining VPP-level safety systems
Previously-reported Services
Applying for VPP recognition for exemplary safety systems
Description
The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognize employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who manage exemplary safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. In VPP, management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a system focused on: hazard prevention and control; worksite analysis; training; and management commitment and worker involvement. To participate, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo a rigorous on-site evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals. OSHA verifies the safety and health program status at worksites to ensure they meet VPP safety and health standards. Union support is required for applicants represented by a bargaining unit. Once recognized as a VPP site, an employer is allowed to fly the VPP flag and use the logo on its website, highlighting their achievement. In addition, VPP participants are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections as long as they maintain their VPP status.
Why this service was designated
OSHA selected the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) for priority designation as it is OSHA’s premier recognition program for employers and employees who implement effective workplace safety and health management systems. Every year just under 100 applicants will seek VPP status. There are currently just over 1200 companies in Federal VPP representing more than 1 million workers. However, by learning from applicants and building OSHA’s understanding through direct feedback mechanisms, OSHA can improve the VPP application to increase the number of workplaces that proactively earn this important safety designation.
Quarterly data reported
Q3 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
We undertook an analysis of responses by NAICS, but we received few surveys that responded with the NAICS of their site - only 18 out of 44 responses. We changed the way we administer this survey in an attempt to get a better response rate. Previously, we sent an email to the site contact with a follow-up about two weeks later. For this quarter, we sent the survey to 2 different contacts at the same site: the site contact and the site manager. This increased the response rate slightly at some risk of biasing the data, although we attempted to control for that and did not find a significant overlap in IP addresses of the respondents. We are considering other options to increase the rate further. We also found that a significant number of respondents had infrequent (every 2-3 years) contact with their Regional VPP Manager. Although our scores remain high overall, we had previously found that more frequent contact generally resulted in higher scores.
Service details
Transaction point: After successful completion of the application process for participation in the Voluntary Protection Progrram
Channel: in_person
People served: 12
Surveys offered: 12
Responses: 5
Q1 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
We analyzed the data for Reapprovals for VPP. What we discovered is that there seems to be a relationship between the number of contacts between our Agency and satisfaction of customers. More contact is correlated with higher satisfaction.
However, we discovered that the questions don’t let us discover who initiates contact - whether the participant contacts the Regional VPP Manager, or if the Regional VPP Manager contacts the participants. We may need to modify the questions to determine this.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 5
Surveys offered: 5
Responses: 3
Q4 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
For the next quarterly reporting, I would like to look at trends and breakdowns by Regions. We may not have enough information to get meaningful information from the Regions because many respondents leave that response blank.
Service details
Transaction point: Applying
Channel: in_person
People served: 16
Surveys offered: 16
Responses: 4
Seeking reapproval for maintaining VPP-level safety systems
Description
The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognize employers and workers in the private industry and Federal agencies who manage exemplary safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. In VPP, management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a system focused on: hazard prevention and control; worksite analysis; training; and management commitment and worker involvement. For VPP reapproval, ongoing participants are reviewed based on their annual self-evaluations and undergo a rigorous on-site evaluation where OSHA verifies the safety and health program status at worksites to ensure they continue to meet VPP safety and health standards. Almost half of all VPP participants have been in the program for 10 or more years. VPP participants are re-evaluated every three to five years to remain in the programs. If successful, VPP participants are allowed to fly the VPP flag, use the logo on its website, and continue to be exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status.
Why this service was designated
There was no formal mechanism for collecting direct feedback from our customers. There are currently just over 1200 companies in Federal VPP representing more than 1 million workers. Every year approximately 250-300 VPP participants will seek reapproval. Focusing on existing VPP customers allows OSHA to explore customer experience activities with employers and worksites with whom OSHA has collaborative relationships allowing for greater transparency and also allowing OSHA to more quickly move to implement feedback recommendations.
Quarterly data reported
Q3 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
We undertook an analysis of responses by NAICS, but we received few surveys that responded with the NAICS of their site - only 18 out of 44 responses. We changed the way we administer this survey in an attempt to get a better response rate. Previously, we sent an email to the site contact with a follow-up about two weeks later. For this quarter, we sent the survey to 2 different contacts at the same site: the site contact and the site manager. This increased the response rate slightly at some risk of biasing the data, although we attempted to control for that and did not find a significant overlap in IP addresses of the respondents. We are considering other options to increase the rate further. We also found that a significant number of respondents had infrequent (every 2-3 years) contact with their Regional VPP Manager. Although our scores remain high overall, we had previously found that more frequent contact generally resulted in higher scores.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 73
Surveys offered: 73
Responses: 44
Q2 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Satisfaction remains high, but the time involved to receive a reapproval remains an issue. Many respondents take the time time to specifically mention the relationship with their OSHA on-site Team Leader. This indicates to us that the relationship is held in high regard. We will continue to address the time issue moving forward. OSHA provided a post-transaction customer feedback survey to 8 customers who are applying for the VPP program and did not receive a response.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 93
Surveys offered: 93
Responses: 31
Q1 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
We analyzed the data for Reapprovals for VPP. What we discovered is that there seems to be a relationship between the number of contacts between our Agency and satisfaction of customers. More contact is correlated with higher satisfaction.
However, we discovered that the questions don’t let us discover who initiates contact - whether the participant contacts the Regional VPP Manager, or if the Regional VPP Manager contacts the participants. We may need to modify the questions to determine this.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 36
Surveys offered: 36
Responses: 15
Q4 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
For the next quarterly reporting, I would like to look at trends and breakdowns by Regions. We may not have enough information to get meaningful information from the Regions because many respondents leave that response blank.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 82
Surveys offered: 82
Responses: 23
Q3 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Apparently the survey is confusing some respondents. We have a few “1” ratings, but the comments are on the order of “wonderful experience. Pleasure to work with the representative.”
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 37
Surveys offered: 37
Responses: 23
Q2 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Customers continue to be Very Satisfied or Satisfied with Customer Experience. Our weak point is still the amount of time it takes to receive an on-site evaluation.
Service details
Transaction point: in person
Channel: in_person
People served: 91
Surveys offered: 91
Responses: 26
Q1 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
In general, customers are satisfied or very satisfied with their interactions. Our number of surveys for VPP New Approvals is very limited right now because of COVID. We normally only have between 50 and 100 New Approvals in a Fiscal Year, and during COVID we had between 15 and 25.
Service details
Transaction point: Reapproval
Channel: in_person
People served: 23
Surveys offered: 23
Responses: 2
Previously-reported Services
Prior to the first service designation exercise in 2022, HISPs were collecting data using methods unique to each agency, resulting in data that was not standardized. This previously-reported data was collected to increase visibility and awareness regarding customer experience through feedback data. Per A-11 guidance, service providers will collect feedback in a more standardized way.
Applying for Voluntary Protection Program status
Description
The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognize employers and workers in the private industry and Federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. Applicants and participants are surveyed upon final approval of new site or reapproval of an existing site.
Quarterly data reported
Q2 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Customers continue to be Very Satisfied or Satisfied with Customer Experience. Our weak point is still the amount of time it takes to receive an on-site evaluation.
Service details
Transaction point: Applying
Channel: in_person
People served: 2
Surveys offered: 2
Responses: 1