Teamwork sustains OSHA VPP Star safety status at USACE Columbus Project Office

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District’s Columbus Project Office, in Columbus, Ohio, has been approved for continued participation in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs as a Star participant.

The approval followed an OSHA on-site evaluation May 20, 2026. OSHA officials reviewed the office’s VPP application, annual self-evaluations, safety records, and employee interviews, alongside comprehensive facility and worksite walkthroughs.

VPP is an OSHA initiative that recognizes employers and workers who have implemented effective safety and health management systems. Star status is the program's highest recognition level, reserved for worksites that exceed basic OSHA standards and demonstrate exemplary safety performance.

The Wright-Patterson Area Office holds two of only three VPP Star certifications across USACE. Across the broader Department of War, the office is among 161 certified sites. In addition, the Columbus Project Office has operated for 15 years without a single lost-time mishap.

“Continued participation shows that our team members have a strong commitment to safety for each other and for the organization,” said John Hearn, quality assurance supervisor and VPP lead for Wright-Patterson Area Office. “We have been in this program since 2013, and here we are 13 years later, still focused, driven, and executing an outstanding safety and occupational health program for our team members.”

According to Hearn, safety is personal and powered directly by the people doing the work. He emphasized that the achievement is entirely employee-driven—without each individual actively taking ownership and looking out for one another each day, running both VPP and the Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System would not be possible.

The Columbus Project Office manages facility and construction contracts for the Defense Logistics Agency and other federal partners at Defense Supply Center Columbus, while also providing construction services for the Air Force, Navy, City of Cincinnati, and Ohio Air National Guard. Its personnel oversee quality assurance and conduct regular site inspections throughout the greater Columbus area and surrounding region. During OSHA’s evaluation, the office maintained active operations with Defense Supply Center Columbus, the Ohio Air National Guard, and an Army Reserve Center.

The office’s safety program addresses risks across the entire operational spectrum, ranging from hazards on active construction sites to routine office safety. When visiting project sites, employees review hazard assessments tailored to their duties and adhere to all site-specific safety protocols. The office logs issues identified during inspections, utilizing the data to guide targeted safety training and hazard mitigation.

OSHA’s evaluation report affirmed that the office successfully integrates both VPP and CE-SOHMS standards, and that all staff members maintain up-to-date training across both frameworks.

“It is a team effort, and we all look out for each other when it comes to the safety of not only ourselves but others,” Hearn said. “We all work together to support the program, and the rest falls into place and runs itself.”

The Columbus Project Office and the Wright-Patterson Area Office operate under a unified safety and health management system comprising roughly 32 employees across nine safety committees. Within the Columbus Project Office, all five staff members serve on multiple safety committees.

Staff members participate in biweekly and monthly safety meetings, ongoing professional development, and monthly government vehicle and facility reviews. In addition, the office’s collateral duty safety officer committee conducts independent monthly construction inspections alongside daily evaluations at contractor-controlled project sites.

OSHA’s approval letter highlighted that VPP Star participants serve as national models for employers, employees and labor partners. Sustaining Star standing requires the Columbus Project Office to maintain its safety management systems, submit annual self-evaluations, and participate in periodic OSHA reevaluations.

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