EPCOR facility named to OSHA Voluntary Protection Program

PHOENIX—January 26, 2023—EPCOR announces that its Anthem Water Campus has been recognized at the Star level for admission into Arizona’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). EPCOR’s White Tanks Water Treatment Facility achieved this honor in September 2021 and was the first private water treatment facility in the state to be accepted into the program.    

Considered the gold standard for workplace safety and health, the VPP is an initiative of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that recognizes sites that are committed to protecting their employees beyond OSHA requirements. Of four potential recognition levels, the Star ranking is the highest, denoting worksites with injury and illness rates below national industry averages. 

EPCOR USA President Joe Gysel said, “We are proud to have a second EPCOR facility receiving this important Star level VPP designation. Safety is paramount. We will always be an organization that prioritizes the safety of our employees.” 

Arizona’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) operates the VPP in Arizona by establishing performance-based metrics for effective on-site safety and health systems – and then assessing organizations that apply for the program against those criteria. Once a site is approved, the organization commits to following VPP standards at the site over a period of three years. 

EPCOR began the rigorous VPP application process for its Anthem Water Campus in April 2022. This involved a 394-page application package detailing current safety and health practices at the site. The final, four-day ADOSH audit and inspection included 12 interviews with employees, permit inspections, detailed assessments of systems and, finally, approval in October. 

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