Fox Chase post office
recognized by OSHA

By Richard P. Weiss
For the Times

After several years of hard work and dedication to safety and health factors, the Fox Chase post office has become the first post office in Philadelphia approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a VPP work site through the Voluntary Protection Program.
VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of outstanding achievement and efforts by both employers and employees to work together toward implementing exemplary occupational safety and health practices and procedures.
About a month prior to receiving this honor, Fox Chase scored a remarkable 5.0 (out of a possible 5.0) on its annual Program Evaluation Guide audit, far exceeding the Philadelphia Postal Service’s goal of 3.4.
"I am absolutely thrilled," said Kate Pembroke, Fox Chase manager.
"All of my employees helped to bolster safety and address areas where we needed improvement. Fox Chase could not have gained VPP status without the help of everyone at the station."
Steven Delp, compliance officer from the Harrisburg Area Office of OSHA, agreed.
"Employees [at Fox Chase] have worked hard toward improving workplace safety. Fox Chase certainly qualifies as a VPP work site," he told members of the safety committee following a final inspection that he and his team concluded at the facility.
After OSHA submits official recommendations, they will present the official OSHA VPP flag to the Fox Chase post office at a flag-raising ceremony this spring. ••
Rich Weiss is a sales and services associate at Fox Chase Station as well as the founding editor of The Philadelphia Safety Fox, a quarterly safety and health newsletter distributed to postal employees.