Clearwater Paper Corp., Spokane, Wash., USA, reports that it has received the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) highest level of recognition offered by the agency's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) as Star status. Clearwater Paper now becomes one of only nine such VPP sites in the state of Nevada.
 

"At Clearwater Paper, we believe that safety comes first in everything we do, and we put that concept into action by striving for continuous safety improvement," said Linda K. Massman, president and CEO. "Today's event is a time to reflect and celebrate a truly great safety achievement that required five years of hard work and collaboration with OSHA, but more importantly recognize that what our employees have put in place today will help protect each individual and fellow employees going forward." 

To attain VPP Star status, Clearwater Paper's Las Vegas, Nev., facility completed a multi-point safety and health analysis and an intensive on-site inspection by OSHA staff. Both include proactive measures to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a program of focused management commitment and employee involvement, hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, and safety and health training. 

"My fellow employees were determined to reach VPP Star status, and we did it by building a positive and productive partnership with OSHA—this is a big day for all of us," said Nick Marquart, Clearwater Paper's safety and VPP coordinator at the Las Vegas facility. "We were also very pleased to see so many of our elected representatives and agency officials come to help celebrate our success, including our Nevada Congressional delegation, Governor Sandoval's office, our state representatives, and many important agencies, including of course, OSHA." 

VPP promotes effective worksite-based safety and health. In the VPP, management, employees, and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system. Acceptance into VPP is OSHA's official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. 

Clearwater Paper produces quality consumer tissue, away-from-home tissue, hard roll tissue, machine glazed tissue, bleached paperboard, and pulp at 13 manufacturing locations in the U.S. and Canada. The company is a supplier of private label tissue to major retailers and wholesale distributors, including grocery, drug, mass merchants, and discount stores. The company also produces bleached paperboard.