On November 15, 2005, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and OSHA signed an alliance to recognize and promote the common safety commitments of ACC's Responsible Care(r) initiative and OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) -- the first time that OSHA has entered into an agreement with an industry-wide performance improvement program. ACC officials said the alliance identifies joint opportunities to make VPP evaluations and Responsible Care audits more efficient. Responsible Care is ACC's environment, health, safety and security performance improvement initiative. Companies implementing Responsible Care are required to implement a management system and have it certified by independent third-party auditors and report their individual safety performance on a public Web site. OSHA's VPP promotes effective worksite-based safety and health using an assessment process of companies' safety and health management systems. Approval into VPP is OSHA's official recognition of outstanding efforts in achievement of exemplary occupational safety and health. In addition, ACC and OSHA will work to protect employees' health and safety by sharing information, providing training and more effectively using resources with each other, ACC members, Responsible Care Partners, health and safety professionals and the public. by
Doug Hatler, CHMM
DHatler@enviance.com | 
