MISSION, TX — The Mission Post Office, located at 901 N Francisco Ave., has earned “Star” status in the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA's) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The accomplishment will be recognized at a ceremony on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at 9 a.m., when a VPP Star flag will be raised for the first time in front of the facility. The Mission Post Office joins an elite group of U.S. companies attaining VPP Star status and will proudly fly the VPP Star flag from that day forward, as it maintains its OSHA certification. Mission will be the third facility in the United States Postal Service’s Rio Grande District, and the first in South Texas, to have earned this distinction.

VPP promotes effective worksite-based safety and health by enlisting the help of every employee — management and labor — under the guidance of OSHA. To become a VPP site, an application is submitted and reviewed by OSHA followed by a rigorous on-site evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts.

“Management, employees and unions worked together diligently to achieve this honor,” said Mission Officer-in-Charge Patsy Garcia. “Our goal is to perform our jobs safely and go home healthy each day. When we change our attitude about health and safety at work, it follows us home and spreads to our loved ones. Safety becomes a lifestyle.”

Statistical evidence shows VPP very effective. Over the past 20 years, the average VPP worksite has a 50 percent lower incidence of missed days and restricted work activity compared to the national average.

Postal Service VPP work sites have experienced a reduction of injury and illness rates of up to 70 percent compared to before starting VPP.

OSHA created VPP in 1982 to recognize and partner with worksites that go beyond OSHA standards and implement exemplary systems to manage worker safety and health. Participating worksites can attain either Merit or Star status during an OSHA on-site inspection. Merit demonstrates potential but still needing improvement, while Star status meets all VPP requirements.

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