HARRISBURG, Pa. — MITER Brands recently announced that two of its manufacturing facilities have received Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): MILGARD Windows and Doors in Tacoma, Washington, and Western Window Systems in Phoenix, Arizona.

Earlier this year, both MILGARD Windows and Doors and Western Window Systems achieved VPP Star – the highest level of recognition within the program. This recognition signifies that the manufacturers have demonstrated exemplary achievement in preventing and controlling occupational safety and health hazards, as well as in developing, implementing, and continuously improving their safety and health management systems.

Fewer than half of one percent of all workplace locations in the country are VPP Star certified.

“This is an incredible achievement for our team and encapsulates our commitment to workplace safety,” said Mike Troutman, Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Excellence for MITER Brands. “Our ongoing goal is to continue reducing injuries at all our locations. At our current VPP sites, injury rates are typically half the industry average as we advance on our journey toward safety excellence, with a long-term goal of no one getting hurt. Having two more locations VPP Star-certified, in addition to the other five that already gained certification, speaks volumes about safety as our first quality pillar.”

Founded in 1982, the VPP was established to promote effective worksite-based safety and health. Within the VPP, management, labor, and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system.

The VPP encourages companies to apply at no charge. OSHA will then review the application before performing a rigorous, weeklong on-site evaluation by a team of safety and health experts.

In addition to reviewing policies and procedures on-site, OSHA representatives interview 20-50% of the workplace population at each location to determine whether MITER Brands team members understand the company’s safety programs and training, and to confirm they are being implemented.

“For our team members, when they see OSHA walking around, it really solidifies that we care and that we’re actively trying to do the right thing when it comes to their safety and welfare,” said Tony Kassab, VP of Human Resources for MITER Brands. “It takes on a new atmosphere in the plant, and it really helps with our overall company culture and morale.”

MITER Brands has many safety initiatives and measures in effect across its facilities, including:

• Enrolling team members in “Stop the Bleed”, an advanced training that focuses on equipping team members with the skills to control severe bleeding in emergency situations in a production environment.
• Incorporating an Industrial Hygiene (IH) Plan that studies and samples the environment to ensure team members work in a healthy and non-impacting environment.
• Reducing lifting by up to 50 percent through manufacturing line redesign, mechanical lifts, or process changes.
• Standardizing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all manufacturing facilities by implementing consistent guidelines for its selection, use, and maintenance to ensure worker safety and health.
• Focusing on ergonomics and piloting a study with Certified Environmental Management Ltd. (CEM) in Sacramento, California, and sharing those learnings with the MITER Brands EHS Team.
• Auditing production equipment to be better than OSHA standards to protect team members, especially those early in their careers who may or may not have previous manufacturing experience with equipment.
• Providing 10 hours of OSHA regulatory training with leaders in MITER Brands’ facilities to help them better understand a safe environment.

To learn more about MITER Brands and its commitment to safety across its family of brands, visit MITERBrands.com/Safety.