OSHA VPP Manager Receives Exceptional Service Impact Award
The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded its Exceptional Service Impact Award to OSHA veteran Cathy Oliver, who is now director of the agency's Office of Partnerships and Recognition. Oliver began her career at OSHA in 1975 as a program analyst during the agency's early years of publishing new standards and conducting enforcement inspections. The cooperative programs she helped implement gained acceptance after demonstrating their effectiveness in helping businesses reduce worker injuries and illnesses, and her commitment to the agency's mission of promoting the safety and health of America's working men and women has earned her the award, DOL said.
As manager of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), Oliver's use of creative strategies has enabled the program to grow to more than 2,000 participants with a potential impact on nearly 900,000 workers, DOL said. In addition, Oliver assisted in the development and implementation of the OSHA Strategic Partnership Program that brings together management, labor, and government to focus on specific hazards and employ safety and health management systems that address worker safety and health.
"More important than the number of years Cathy has served in this agency is the influence she has had on making worker safety among the top priorities in America's workplaces," said OSHA's acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab. "I congratulate her on receiving this award and for the accomplishments she has achieved."
Accepting the honor, Oliver said, "I am proud of my collaboration with OSHA staff, labor, and business leaders who have dedicated their talents to occupational safety and health. I am honored to accept this award and recognize that the true reward is knowing that my efforts have helped improve the safety of millions of American workers."