a person holding a computer stands in front of a trash truck

Connecticut Waste-to-Energy Facility Recognized Again for Workplace Safety, Health

Wheelabrator Bridgeport has been recognized as a “star” site under OSHA's VPP since 2005.

A site's history of being recognized for its excellent safety and health management systems continues after a recent evaluation.

According to a news release, Wheelabrator Bridgeport, a waste-to-energy facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut that “generat[es] electricity for the New England power grid,” was first given the “star level” designation under OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in 2005. OSHA renewed the status of this site—where about 70 people work—just this week following an August 2022 evaluation.

 “The Wheelabrator Bridgeport facility continues to retain a high level of employee involvement in support of workplace safety and health,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton in Boston in the news release. “The site focuses upon preventing recognized hazards in the waste-to-energy industry, including falls, electrical, and struck-by injuries.”

The VPP recognizes employers that have excellent health and safety management systems, according to its website. The “star” status is the highest designation an employer can receive under the program. Currently, there are 1,967 federal and state-plan sites in the VPP.

About the Author

Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.

Product Showcase

  • Preventative Heat Safety

    Dehydration and heat exposure impair physical and cognitive performance. Proper hydration boosts heat stress resilience, but hydration needs are highly individualized and hard to predict across a workforce. Connected Hydration® empowers industrial athletes to stay safe through behavioral interventions, informed by sports science, and equips safety teams with critical insights to anticipate high-risk situations and adapt to evolving environmental factors. Curious about applying the latest in sports science based hydration strategies for industrial athletes? Stop by booth #1112 at AIHA or schedule a free demo today at https://epcr.cc/demo. 3

  • Safety Shower Test Cart

    The Safety Shower Test Cart speeds up and simplifies emergency shower tests, ensures you stay in compliance with OSHA regulations, and significantly reduces testing costs. With 7 unique features, the cart makes testing easy, effective, and efficient. You can test water clarity, flow, temperature, and spread—all at the same time! Most safety shower testing kits create a mess, take too much time to use, and don't fully help you stay in compliance with OSHA & ANSI standards. Transform the way you test emergency showers with Green Gobbler Safety. 3

  • Safety Knives

    The Safety Knife Company has developed a quality range of safety knives for all industries. Designed so that fingers cannot get to the blades, these knives will safely cut through cardboard, tape, strapping, shrink or plastic wrap or a variety of other packing materials. Because these knives have no exposed blades and only cut cardboard deep, they will not only protect employees against lacerations but they will also save product. The Metal Detectable versions have revolutionary metal detectable polypropylene knife bodies specifically for the food and pharmaceutical industries. This material can be detected and rejected by typical detection machines and is X-ray visible. 3

Featured