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  • A Message from Chairperson Terry Schulte – Our Shared Role in Shaping the Future of VPP

A Message from Chairperson Terry Schulte – Our Shared Role in Shaping the Future of VPP

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Dear VPPPA Members and Stakeholders,

Recently, OSHA published and requested participation in the agency’s VPP Modernization Survey as the agency seeks to, “modernize, improve and expand the various pathways that employers can establish and improve their safety and health programs, with the pinnacle being Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).”

VPPPA encourages all of our members and stakeholders in workplace health & safety to join us in completing this survey. Our collective responses will play a critical role in shaping the future of VPP and maintaining our program as the gold standard of safety & health management systems worldwide. To that end, we have created a brief background resource for members and stakeholders to review that summarizes opportunities to maintain and enhance VPP.

The VPPPA has worked with OSHA since its inception to continuously sustain and improve the Voluntary Protection Program. As the nation’s support organization for OSHA’s cooperative programs, we feel that the association and its members are uniquely positioned to provide expert input to shape our program. In addition to participating in this survey, VPPPA will also engage members and stakeholders over the next two months to conduct virtual forums with labor and management of VPP sites. This will help us accomplish our goal to provide feedback and insight to our partners at OSHA that will, together, allow us to effectively modernize the Voluntary Protection Program.

Be safe,

Terry Schulte

Director, Safety & Operational Excellence – NuStar Energy LP

Chairperson; VPPPA Board of Directors

VPPPA Background Information –  OSHA VPP Modernization Survey

OSHA VPP Modernization Survey

Jacqueline "Jackie" Annis is an industrial hygienist with the Office of Partnerships and Recognition, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs in OSHA’s National Office.  Jackie’s primary responsibilities include developing and overseeing internal policies and procedures for the VPP, reviewing VPP on-site evaluation reports for process safety management information, serving as the National Office liaison for two of OSHA’s ten Regions, and facilitating the management of OSHA’s National Strategic Partnership Program.  She is an integral part of OSHA’s National Office team. 

She has served with the Agency for 36 years, including five years as a senior industrial hygienist in OSHA’s Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs in the National Office and 17 years as a compliance safety and health officer in the Denver, CO Area Office.  Prior to her tenure at OSHA, Jackie worked as an industrial hygienist for the Department of the Navy in Alameda, California.  Jackie obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA in 1983.

Wayne Howard earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC Davis and has spent 12 years with Shell (at Martinez) refinery, 3 years with the consulting firm Process Safety, 15 years with Valero (at Benicia), and the last 10 years in the Corporate Process Safety Department. He is the Valero representative to AFPM's Advancing Process Safety Initiative.

Nathan Obaugh, PE is a senior engineer in the Safety and Operational Excellence Group at NuStar Energy. Nathan has over 10 years of PSM and process design experience in the petrochemical, refining and midstream industries. At NuStar, Nathan oversees all elements of the corporate PSM program and works directly on hazard analysis, process safety studies, PSM/RMP audits and provides process engineering support to the operations and capital projects groups.

Jared Teter, PhD is a senior staff scientist with a background in physics and hazards analysis. He has extensive experience in subscale testing of energetic materials and has served as program manager for several large testing and risk management projects. He has applied engineering and risk management protocols while evaluating the risk associated with propellant and explosives manufacturing, combustible dust, and other hazardous material related processes.

Tim Belitz has a degree in Environmental Health/Industrial Hygiene from Old Dominion University and a Master’s from Duke University. He has over 25 years of Industrial Health Safety and Environmental Experience and is a Certified Safety Professional. He has many years focused on Contractor Management and Process Safety programs.

Rob Walker graduated from Virginia Tech in Microbiology and Chemical Engineering. Rob has almost 35 years of experience working in the chemical plant and refining industry. His passion for Process Safety and Mechanical Integrity began very early in his career. Rob began with his current company, Honeywell, back in 2011.

Prasad Joshi has B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Chemical Engineering from two universities in India. Prasad has over 30 years’ experience in the business. He began with Honeywell in May 2022 as Principal Maintenance Engineer. He has worked internationally in Asia and Europe.