Altus AFB and Valero sign voluntary protection plan agreement

  • Published
  • By Michael Fletcher
  • 97th Air Mobility Command
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 97th Air Mobility Wing and representatives from the Ardmore, Okla., Valero refining plant signed a joint Voluntary Protection Plan agreement, June 30, the first in the Air Education and Training Command. 

In a formal ceremony in a C-17 maintenance hanger, a daily work place of the 97th Maintenance Directorate "A-Team" civilian aircraft maintenance workforce, 97th Air Mobility Wing officials, signed an agreement with Ardmore Valero Refining to start the Altus AFB Voluntary Protection Program, the first in the Air Education and Training Command. In VPP, management, labor, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system.

"This program is starting with the work force," Col. David W. Allvin, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, said." The employees are going to insure the success of this program. This is a pretty significant moment. It starts with the A-Team leading the way and then it will spread across the Wing. 

"We've been working very hard to have all the tools and the training, and are ready to step to the next level," Colonel Allvin said. "The achievement is passing the check ride. That check ride is when OSHA comes down and decides if we are worthy. The A-Team is the finest maintenance organization that I have worked with, so I'm not worried about that. What is going to happen is that we will achieve that level faster with the help of Ardmore Valero Refining." 

Altus AFB is one of 18 Air Force bases selected to participate in the initial Air Force Office of Safety and Health VPP program. 

American Federation of Government Employees Local 2586 union and their represented members on the Altus AFB "A Team." endorsed the program as making sense and beneficial to union workers. 

"Valero is also a union shop," said Floyd Laney, Ardmore Valero Refining VPP safety coordinator. "VPP is about learning, sharing and giving back. By going off site to work with Altus AFB we not only share our success but will also learn from you."  Through the agreement Valero agrees to work cooperatively with the Maintenance Directorate to provide safety and health information, mentorship and training, including establishing a Valero mentorship contact in each worksite. 

OSHA believes an effective safety and health management system is the best way to prevent occupational illnesses and injuries. VPP participants are expected to meet performance-based criteria and to use a comprehensive system geared toward each worksite's needs. Management leadership and employee participation, self evaluations are key elements of the process. 

Ardmore Valero worked two years to obtain VPP Star status. The Star Program is designed for worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems. Companies in the Star Program have achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average of their respective industries and are self-sufficient in their ability to control workplace hazards. Private sector VPP participants have seen a 60 percent reduction in injuries, 20 percent reduction in worker's compensation costs, and a 150 percent return on investments. 

"It had been more than 20 years since we had gone one million man hours without a lost time accident," said Mr. Laney. "Now we have gone 1.8 million hours in two hours without a reportable injury. We've never seen that in our industry." 

The A-Team and Valero will work together to expand VPP awareness through improvement of the Altus Safety and Health Management system at worksites, improve communications and share VPP best practices and lessons learned.