TOSHA talks with randomly selected workers (with management's permission) to gauge overall employee awareness of and involvement in the program, and to determine their understanding of what VPP approval would mean. Your program will succeed only if everyone becomes involved and exercises responsibility. Talking to workers is the best way to determine their commitment. The impact of any negative comments by an employee will depend on the extent to which they are corroborated by other team findings and on the gravity of the problem they reflect.
In small businesses, where a safety and health program may be too informal for adequate documentation, interviews with workers, supervisors and managers are crucial, evidence in establishing the program's effectiveness.
Making workers a part of the onsite review emphasizes their importance in making the health and safety program work.
Draft Report
The team may develop a rough draft of the pre-approval review report before it leaves. This may require a room to work in and other assistance as needed. Writing the draft report usually takes about one day. You will have an opportunity to review and discuss the written report before it is made final
Closing Meeting
Before leaving, the team will have a closing meeting to discuss its findings and recommendations. If prepared, the draft report also will be presented.
If the team finds you do not meet the requirements of the program you applied for, it may suggest another program.
If the team thinks that additional work needs to be done before approval into VPP, it may make recommendations and allow a reasonable period of time, up to 90 days, for the work to be completed.
Tennessee Department of Labor/TOSHA