Corpus Christi Army Depot joins an elite corps of almost 2,200 worksites nationwide that have earned VPP Star status. The depot employs approximately 5600 Dept. of Defense civilians and contractors, who work to overhaul, repair, modify, retrofit and ...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (July 15, 2010) - Corpus Christi Army Depot earned Star Status for excellence in employee safety and health following an on-site visit and evaluation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Voluntary Protection Program achievement culminates a five-year effort to improve safety conditions for the workforce at the depot.

As only the third Army Materiel Command organization to receive the designation, CCAD joins Tobyhanna Army Depot and Crane Army Ammunition Activity.

"This accomplishment is the result of 5500-plus employees working together toward a significant and desirable goal," said Col. Christopher B. Carlile, CCAD Commander. "It sets the tone, but does not end here. This ensures employee safety is a top priority. We'll move from this point forward."

The depot decided to improve its occupational safety and health programs after being listed on the Department of Defense's Federal Employees' Compensation Act Top 40 list in 2005. The FECA list is an indicator for lost time incidents and days off due to injuries.

A letter from the Assistant Secretary for OSHA David Michaels, PhD, MPH, congratulated CCAD, "You have joined an elite group of organizations that provide exemplary occupational safety and health protection and serve as models for others."

CCAD Safety team members coordinated with OSHA in 2005 to instill a safety-first culture within the workforce to ensure a safe working environment for its employees. As a result, lost-time incidents, total-days-off and lost-production hours are decreasing annually while production hours are on the rise.

In 2009, CCAD dropped off the FECA Top 40 list. The indicators, Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away Restricted/Transfer (DART), have improved significantly-a third of what they were in 2006.

Michaels added, "Your qualification for OSHA's premiere recognition program is a testament to the efforts you and your employees have made to develop and implement a VPP-quality safety and health management system."

The depot employs approximately 5600 Dept. of Defense civilians and contractors, who work to overhaul, repair, modify, retrofit and modernize DoD rotary wing aircraft in support of Warfighters. The depot also trains National Guard, Army Reserve, Active Duty Army and friendly foreign military and provides world-wide on-site maintenance, aircraft crash analysis, oil analysis and chemical/metallurgical support.

Corpus Christi Army Depot joins an elite corps of almost 2,200 worksites nationwide that have earned VPP Star status including local South Texas industry leaders: Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, Valero, Flint Hills, Koch Carbon's Petroleum Coke Facility, Scott Electric at Valero, Lyondell, Celanese Chemicals & Ticona Polymer Facility and US Ecology, Inc,