OO-ALC Engineering Directorate gets VPP silver

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  The Ogden Air Logistics Center Engineering Directorate was the first unit in its organization to achieve the Voluntary Protection Program silver level on April 13.

With the help of co-workers and management, the unit was able to work together as a team to instill VPP within its office.

"Everyone is always constantly aware of their surroundings and is always thinking safety," said Charlotte Milne, OO-ALC/EN management assistant. "Management really shows everyone that safety is a high priority in the workplace."

To help instill this cultural change, they implemented monthly meetings as well as resources available to all personnel.

"We have Security Safety Reference books, both hard copies and electronic copies that were given to every worker in the unit," said Brandy Johnson, OO-ALC/EN editorial assistant. "Anything that anyone would need to know about safety is available to them in those books as well as on the Engineering Directorate sharepoint."

Management also holds monthly safety meetings, instilling VPP standards to make sure everyone is staying on the right track as well as to hear what others have to say.

"Management holds a face-to-face safety VPP meeting once a month and if someone is gone, management makes sure they get with that individual to go over what was discussed," said Milne.

She said that it shows management does care a lot about safety and personnel are aware of this, so they are a lot more open to discuss their concerns about the safety issues they see.

The next step for this unit is to achieve the gold level and they are well on their way.

"The partnership between management, this VPP team and the Engineering Directorate personnel drove cultural change to make VPP a part of all of our daily lives," said Darrell Nitz, OO-ALC/EN program manager. "There's no doubt in any of our minds that we are on our way to achieving the gold level."