are to reopen in 2004. There were significant safety and health precautions implemented at both facilities.

     In 2003 the Postal Service continued to be impacted by reports of "suspicious" powders and other suspected bio/chemical agents in the mail, requiring response by postal resources and external emergency first responders. Several facilities were evacuated for false alarms. The Postal Service implemented procedures for such incidents, and required emergency "tabletop" exercises to ensure plans were in place and responses were appropriate.

     As part of the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP), the Postal Service continued development of the biohazard detection systems (BDS), and ventilation filtration systems (VFS) for incoming mail processing equipment. This required intensive safety and health involvement in the development of response plans, emergency action plan training, and coordination with federal and state public health officials on decontamination and medical follow-up. Antibiotics were deployed for all BDS pilot sites in conjunction with CDC and local health officials. (The details of the EPP and BDS were previously discussed in Section A, Fundamental Service to the People.) As BDS and VFS are deployed nationally in 2004 the safety program will be heavily involved.

     The Postal Service continued to address safety issues involving irradiated mail. Procedures for the irradiation process were improved, active ventilation of the mail was improved, and ongoing monitoring ensured that there were no harmful employee exposures to irradiation byproducts. The Postal Service worked with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to ensure that government workers receiving irradiated mail were not exposed to harmful levels of byproducts.

     The postal Safety and Health Program continued to have significant involvement with emergency management improvements as well as requirements dictated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Postal Service established an Emergency Management Committee and Workgroup

which included safety representatives. Plans are underway to integrate emergency action plans, COOP, and crisis management plans into one Integrated Emergency Preparedness Plan (IEMP) at the Performance Cluster and installation level. This will support Homeland Security's National Response Plan, required of federal agencies in calendar 2003. To lay the groundwork for IEMP, the Postal Service trained an additional 217 management personnel in emergency management fundamentals.

     Work precautions were planned and instituted, based on the Homeland Security Advisory System that included safety and health as well as security elements. This included emergency notification for employees who are off premises (e.g., carriers).

     Postal safety and health experts continued to work with DHS, Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, OSHA, NIOSH, and other agencies on public health/homeland security issues such as "Medical Surge" capabilities, anthrax guidance, Federal Response Plan, Postal Service responsibilities, and biohazard detection and response.

     The Postal Service partnered with OSHA to implement their prestigious Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in several postal facilities. OSHA awards this exclusive recognition only to those facilities that have implemented the very best safety and health programs in industry. Significant positive results have already been attained in the first sites. Specifically, labor relations and productivity have improved at these facilities and they have achieved a 20 percent to 50 percent reduction in recordable injury and illness incidents. Another benefit of this program is improved employee relations that result from the cooperative involvement of management, OSHA, and unions working together to implement the program.

     To date, five Postal Service facilities have met the demanding criteria of VPP. These include the Pittsburgh Air Mail Center, Albany