The OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognizes and partners with worksites who have established exemplary safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below industry averages. In Tennessee, the program is administered by TOSHA and is called Volunteer STAR. Through VPP, TOSHA, management, and employees collaborate to proactively identify, evaluate, and control workplace hazards via comprehensive training, hazard prevention strategies, and ongoing evaluation which all strive for continuous improvement of site safety and health. Applicants undergo a rigorous performance-based review—including self-assessments, document evaluation, and onsite visits—before achieving Volunteer STAR status and are re-evaluated every three to five years. While participants are exempt from TOSHA programmed inspections, they remain accountable under the TOSH act to comply with TOSHA standards, but with the benefit of TOSHA’s ongoing support, resources, and industry recognition.
For more information including how to apply and to see a list of current Tennessee VPP recipients, please see TOSHA’s Volunteer STAR page