Achievements in Worker Safety
OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program…creating safer environments for Alaska’s workers

July 31, 2006: TelAlaska Recognized for Workplace Safety
http://labor.state.ak.us/news/2007/news07-31.pdf

TelAlaska Receives Recognition for Outstanding Safety Program
TelAlaska recently achieved Merit status in Alaska’s Occupational Safety and Health (AKOSH) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) for creating safer environments for employees in its Nome area operations. Once VPP status is achieved, the designated company unit is exempt from some targeted industry inspections, allowing AKOSH inspectors to focus resources on areas more in need of attention. AKOSH credits the program with helping companies achieve a 50 percent decrease in workplace injuries.

TelAlaska’s Unalaska area office was the first telecommunications group in America to be awarded the designation in 2003. The company’s Seward office achieved VPP status later that year.

Above: A representative from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development visited Nome in November to present the Merit VPP certificate to TelAlaska’s staff in Nome. From left to right is Albert McComas, Dawn Ring, Andrew Hennings, Randy Arndt, Chuck Titus, Grey Mitchell (Alaska Department of Labor), and Jason Louvier.

Officials from the Alaska Department of Labor presents TelAlaska Area Manager, Roger Meeks, and staff with their Merit VPP certificate. TelAlaska's office in Unalaska is the first telecommunications company in the United States to achieve VPP.

TelAlaska's Seward staff and area supervisor, Travis Stubblefield, accepting the VPP Merit Certificate in October. In 2003, TelAlaska's Unalaska/Dutch Harbor office was the first telecommunications company in the United States to achieve VPP.