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What is Virginia Challenge?
Virginia Challenge is a step-by-step three-stage process that gives you a road map to making your company one of the safest and healthiest in the country. This program provides flexibility for diverse industries with three levels of participation for general industry, and provides recognition for employers’ incremental improvements on their path to attaining Virginia STAR status.
Challenge is an opportunity for sites to improve their SHMS through mentoring, training and progress tracking with the help of an electronic form. Challenge was launched in 2004 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
For more information, please email us at VPPChallenge@doli.virginia.gov
How it Works
Companies start out at Stage I. Using the OSHA Challenge Tracking Participant Spreadsheet (OCTPS) form each required element is broken down into sub-elements that explains requirements for that element, who it is assigned to and date completed. This is used to track the companies progress.
As each element is completed, you move onto the next until the stage is completed at which time you move to the next stage. Having multiple employees involved allows more than one element to be worked on at a time. Mentors, Coordinators, Administrators and VOSH personal will assist you in reaching your goals.
Stage 1
Assess, Learn, Develop
During this stage, participants learn the elements necessary to develop and implement an effective safety and health management system. Sites will assess the performance of existing safety & health programs and policies, provide training to management and workers and develop strategies, programs and policies with the help of mentors.
Stage 2
Implement, Track, Control
Sites will continue to develop, implement and improve policies and programs that were developed in Stage 1 and begin to incorporate policies for contractor/special trade contractor safety and health management system requirements.
Stage 3
Reassess, Monitor, Improve
The final stage of the Challenge! Participants will monitor, reassess and continuously improve their safety and health management system.
All three stages have been completed and you should now have an effective Safety and Health Management System and should be ready to apply for the VPP STAR recognition program.
Benefits
There are many benefits to working the Challenge program. Employee involvement in safety and health at all levels in the organization will increase resulting in a decrease in injuries. This decrease lowers the worker compensation cost resulting in cost savings to the company. Additional benefits include:
- Lower turnover rates.
- Networking with the “Best of the Best” companies.
- Increased employee morale.
- Proven method that works.
- Improved and or revise safety and health policies and procedures with the help of safety professionals.
- It’s Free!
Current Participants
VDOC Challenge Program
In 2018, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry and the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) entered into a strategic partnership to create the groundbreaking VADOC Challenge program to recognize safety and health excellence at correctional facilities around the Commonwealth.
VADOC correctional facilities that participate in VADOC Challenge will substantially improve safety and health protections for its workers through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents. VADOC Challenge sites will implement safety and health management systems which have consistently demonstrated decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates and improved productivity and employee morale and retention.
VADOC Challenge sites implement safety and health management systems which have consistently demonstrated decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates and improved productivity and employee morale and retention. There are currently 8 VADOC facilities participating in the program.
Central Region
Baskerville Correctional
Dillwyn Correctional
VCE White Bark
Eastern Region
Caroline Correctional
Greensville Correctional
Western Region
Green Rock Correctional
Harrisonburg Correctional
Red Onion State Prison
