Voluntary Protection Program certification

The SRS CMP also aims to ensure that the core elements of the ISMS are adopted at each process or activity level. Safety is of utmost importance to SRS employees, as evidenced by the VPP Star status granted by DOE-HQ in 2000 for the quality of the DOE-Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) at SRS. Also, SRS received certification under the ISO I400I, Environmental Management Systems -Specification with Guidance for Use program in 1997. 

If an organization s occupational health and safety management system meets the requirements of ZIO, its system will surpass the provisions in the standards and guidelines reviewed and, in particular, exceed the certification requirements for 18001 and for OSHA s Voluntary Protection Program. 

In a March 2003 entry on the Internet, OSHA (2003) set forth its requirements for organizations to obtain certification under its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). An excerpt follows. 

Certification The buyer or user of personal protective equipment cannot always tell if purchased items meet published standards. There are certification programs for some equipment. NIOSH certifies the performance of some respirators. The Safety Equipment Institute is a not-for-profit organization that tests and certifies a broad range of industrial safety products, including personal protective equipment. Its certification is voluntary for manufacturers of products. 

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