The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, has recognized Veolia Schenectady, Schenectady, New York, with OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) certification. The fully permitted 10-day-in-transit facility, a containerized waste transportation and temporary storage site, is operated by Houston-based Veolia North America’s environmental solutions and services (ESS) business.
“This certification highlights the importance and emphasis Veolia places on the health and safety of our employees, customers and the communities in which we operate,” Bob Cappadona, Veolia North America president and chief operating officer of ESS, says. “Sites like Veolia Schenectady truly embody our ‘goal zero’ safety pledge to strive for zero work-related injuries and illnesses, which is a foundational element of our safety culture.”
VPP recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems. These organizations also maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.
Veolia Schenectady employs 17 residents and operates as a transportation terminal that is permitted to hold containerized waste for a maximum of 10 days. Since the site’s inception eight years ago, the facility has served as a transfer point, consolidating small containerized waste volumes from local service vehicles to tractor trailers for long haul transportation. The material is then transported to waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities across the United States and Canada for responsible and sustainable waste management.
The Veolia Schenectady site joins nine other ESS VPP certified sites across the United States and Puerto Rico, including locations in California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas and Washington.