Release Date: 1/30/2009
U.S. Department of Labor confers Voluntary Protection Program Star Award to West Jefferson Hazardous Materials Research Center
Columbus, Ohio—Battelle held a recognition ceremony Jan. 29 to celebrate a prestigious honor bestowed upon it by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Voluntary Protection Program Star Award is given for excellence in occupational safety recognizes business and worksites that demonstrate outstanding records in safety and health and go beyond Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. Battelle’s Hazardous Materials Research Center (HMRC) in West Jefferson was honored with the award.
The Star status is the highest level of safety certification a business can receive from the government. Only 75 companies in Ohio and 1,449 in the United States are recognized by OSHA at the Star level. Greg Kastner, manager of Battelle’s HMRC, says he’s proud of the staff and the distinction. “It’s flattering, and a lot of work, to get such recognition,” he says. “It is a testament not only to Battelle’s longstanding focus on safety but its staff’s drive to earn this exemplary distinction.”
Last year, Battelle staff implemented a comprehensive occupational and health management program that is required by OSHA. It is the first Columbus-based laboratory operation for Battelle to earn the mark.
Staff created a spreadsheet of all 98 required elements of the VPP program and all HMRC employees were involved in ensuring that the lab operation met the requirements. Kastner says the exercise solidified management’s opinion that employees are responsible and empowered to make the HMRC a safe workplace.
Jeff Wadsworth, Battelle’s President and CEO, said the award fulfills his expectations of the highest quality, efficient and safe workplaces for staff. “We are impressed with our distinction as a Star Award winner, but more specifically, this is the type of situation we strive for every day,” he says.
Jim Tarpinian, Battelle’s Vice President of Corporate Environment, Health, Safety and Quality, says, "Our goal is to send everyone home in the same, or better, shape than when they came to work. We simply do not want anyone harmed because of the work we do."
Battelle is the world’s largest non-profit independent research and development organization, providing innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing needs through its four global businesses: Laboratory Management, National Security, Energy Technology, and Health and Life Sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by conducting $4 billion in global R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle oversees 20,400 employees in more than 120 locations worldwide, including seven national laboratories which Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Battelle also is one of the nation’s leading charitable trusts focusing on societal and economic impact and actively supporting and promoting science and math education.
Contact Public Relations Manager Katy Delaney at (410) 306-8638 or delaneyk@battelle.org or T.R. Massey, media relations specialist, at (614) 424-5544 or masseytr@battelle.org for more information.
