The OSHA Challenge Program provides participating sites a “roadmap “using the four elements of the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) to develop and/or improve their safety and health management system beyond one of minimum compliance and achieve excellence in safety and health. Sites must apply to OSHA to participate in Challenge and have an OSHA-approved Administrator and Coordinator. Following completion of the elements and sub-elements of each of the three stages of OSHA Challenge, the Administrator submits stage reports to the OSHA Challenge Office for review. Upon OSHA approval, the site receives a completion letter for each stage.
Sites completing all three stages of OSHA Challenge typically are ready for an OSHA VPP assessment, should the site wish to participate. Sites achieving VPP Star are recognized for excellence in their safety and health management system. OSHA designed the elements and sub-elements of Challenge to foster active involvement by all employees in the sites safety and health program.
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OSHA Challenge Stage I is the stage where the site’s written safety and health programs are reviewed by the Coordinator. This review is done on site with site safety and health manager. The Coordinator makes recommendations on how to develop or improve safety and health programs to meet Challenge element and sub-element requirements. The Coordinator also determines which sub-elements are complete or incomplete and the additional actions needed to complete the sub-element. Stage I has 73 sub-elements.
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OSHA Challenge Stage II is the stage where the site fully implements the safety and health program and procedures developed in Stage I. This stage requires active management and employee active involvement to ensure safety and health are integrated into every work practice. The Coordinator again determines which sub-elements are complete or incomplete and the additional actions needed to complete the sub-element. Stage II has 59 sub-elements.
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OSHA Challenge Stage III is the stage where a site makes improvements to the safety and health program developed and implemented in Stage I and Stage II, for areas determined not yet working effectively for the site. The Coordinator again determines which sub-elements are complete or incomplete and the additional actions needed to complete the sub-element. When this stage is considered complete by the Coordinator and the Administrator, the information for completion is forwarded to OSHA. Upon approval, OSHA provides a letter of final completion for OSHA Challenge to the site. Stage III has 43 sub-elements.
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