VPP Act

The Michael Enzi Voluntary Protection Program Act represents a bipartisan effort to ensure the long-term future of OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program so that it may continue to positively impact worker safety not only on VPP sites, but for employers across the country. Named after the late Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY), who was a champion of OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program, the VPP Act simply requires that the Department of Labor maintain VPP as a permanent cooperative program within OSHA.

OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program is a discretionary program, meaning that, even after 40+ years of collaboration and success between management, labor and OSHA, it exists in a state of perpetual flux. As administrations—and priorities—change, VPP is constantly at risk of being reduced in scope or eliminated altogether . This uncertainty surrounding the program can contribute to a company’s willingness to commit employees and resources, instead focusing on third-party safety & health management systems that lack the backing—and oversight—of OSHA.

The VPP Act would remove this threat by transitioning VPP from a discretionary program to a permanent fixture within OSHA. The Act’s primary purpose is to ensure that VPP continues its legacy of innovation and advancement of safety and health best practices while protecting workers well into the future.